Doctor Dolittle

You’ve seen the movies, now listen to the original tale of John Dolittle, MD, the Doctor who could talk to animals! Join Doctor Dolittle, Polynesia the parrot, Jip the dog, Dab-Dab the duck, Chee-Chee the monkey, and more as they embark on a perilous and wonderful adventure to save the monkeys in Africa from a deadly disease! Cheer them on as they battle pirates and a ruthless king!

Hugh Lofting's wonderfully whimsical story of a doctor whose love of animals allows him to learn their language and becomes a splendid "animal doctor"... with their help. And he even goes all the way to Africa to cure the sick monkeys...it's charming!

Doctor Dolittle, a little, lovable, old doctor, has so many animal pets spread throughout his house and garden that patients will not come to him anymore. As a result, he becomes poorer and poorer. But he occupies nearly all of his time as the animals' doctor, and soon discovers that he can talk to the animals; Jip the dog, Dab Dab the duck, and Polynesia the parrot.

The good Doctor Dolittle, accompanied by his devoted animal friends, sets sail once again. This time it is a voyage of discovery, to learn the secret of the Shellfish language, and to teach Tommy Stubbins, the Doctor's young protege, all there is to know about animals and their languages. Choosing their destination by opening an atlas, closing their eyes, and touching the page with a pencil, they set off on the most amazing voyage.

In this follow-up to the first of Hugh the series though, Lofting assigns the starring role to Tommy Stubbins who is now an "old man". He recalls how he met Doctor John Dolittle and the many adventures they shared. The Doctor is working on learning the language of the Shellfish and their adventures take them from a trial for murder to adventures on the high seas, culminating in their arrival on Spidermonkey Island. Then comes a war between the native tribes, Dolittle being crowned King, the arrival of the Great Glass Sea-Snail and their eventual return to Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. 

Doctor Dolittle returns from his voyages and sets his house in order. This includes expanding his zoo to include a home for crossbred dogs and a club for rodents. Doctor Dolittle's Zoo is different from all others because there are no cages; the animals stay there voluntarily and are free to leave whenever they want.