The Story of Doctor Dolittle

Name: The Story of Doctor Dolittle
Author: Hugh Lofting

Doctor Dolittle is a classic children's novel by Hugh Lofting, first published in 1920. It tells the story of a kindly doctor who can talk to animals and his adventures with them. The story begins with Doctor Dolittle living in the small English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. He is a kind and gentle man who loves animals and has a special ability to talk to them. One day, he receives a message from the monkeys of Africa asking for his help. He sets off on an adventure to Africa with his animal friends, including a parrot, a dog, a monkey, and a pushmi-pullyu (a two-headed llama). On their journey, they encounter many strange and wonderful creatures, including a giant sea serpent, a giant spider, and a giant octopus. They also meet a variety of people, including a prince, a princess, and a pirate. Along the way, Doctor Dolittle and his friends learn important lessons about friendship, loyalty, and courage. In the end, Doctor Dolittle and his friends are able to save the monkeys of Africa and return home safely. The story is full of humor, adventure, and heartwarming moments that will delight readers of all ages.

By Hugh Lofting · First published 1920 · Genre: Children's literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 21 chapters · 25,462 words

First lines

ONCE upon a time, many years ago-when our grandfathers were little children-there was a doctor; and his name was Dolittle-John Dolittle, M.D. "M.D." means that he was a proper doctor and knew a whole lot.

He lived in a little town called, Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. All the folks, young and old, knew him well by sight. And whenever he walked down the street in his high hat everyone would say, "There goes the Doctor!-He's a clever man." And the dogs and the children would all run up and follow behind him; and even the crows that lived in the church-tower would caw and nod their heads.

What this Textopian page supports

The Story of Doctor Dolittle is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hugh Lofting, dated 1920 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Hugh Lofting
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Children's literature, Fantasy, Adventure, Humor
Length: 25,462 words
Structure: 21 chapters, 784 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Work identity for The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres

Children's literature — The Story of Doctor Dolittle is a children's novel written by Hugh Lofting, and is part of a series of books about the character Doctor Dolittle.
Fantasy — The Story of Doctor Dolittle contains elements of fantasy, such as talking animals and magical powers.
Adventure — The Story of Doctor Dolittle follows the adventures of Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends as they travel to a distant island in search of a cure for a sick prince.
Humor — The Story of Doctor Dolittle is filled with humorous moments, such as when Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends encounter various obstacles on their journey.