Newbery Medal Winner
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
by Hugh Lofting
Summary
Narrated by young Tommy Stubbins, this novel follows the kindly doctor who can talk to animals as he sails to faraway places, including the floating Spidermonkey Island. Lofting fills the adventure with a menagerie of animal companions and gentle humor, building on the character he first created in letters home from the trenches of the First World War. The book stands as a foundational classic of talking animal fiction for children.
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Historical Context & Significance
Lofting conceived Doctor Dolittle in illustrated letters he wrote to his children from the front lines during the First World War.