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The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle: Helbling Readers Red Series / Level 1
Helbling Readers Red Series è una serie di letture graduate illustrate, create e pensate appositamente per i ragazzi. Le letture sono graduate in 3 livelli corrispondenti a quelli del Quadro Comune Europeo di Riferimento.
Paperback
Published January 30, 2019
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About the author
Hugh Lofting
384 books185 followersHugh Lofting was a British author, trained as a civil engineer, who created the character of Doctor Dolittle — one of the classics of children's literature.
Lofting was born in Maidenhead, England, to English and Irish parents. His early education was at Mount St Mary's College in Sheffield, after which he went to the United States, completing a degree in civil engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He traveled widely as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Irish Guards to serve in World War I. Not wishing to write to his children of the brutality of the war, he wrote imaginative letters that were the foundation of the successful Doctor Dolittle novels for children. Seriously wounded in the war, he moved with his family to Connecticut in the United States. Lofting was married three times and had three children, one of whom, his son Christopher, is the executor of his literary estate.
"For years it was a constant source of shock to me to find my writings amongst 'juveniles,'" Lofting reported. "It does not bother me any more now, but I still feel there should be a category of 'seniles' to offset the epithet."
Doctor Dolittle
Hugh Lofting's doctor from Puddleby-on-the-Marsh who could speak to animals first saw light in the author's illustrated letters to children, written from the trenches during World War I when actual news, he later said, was either too horrible or too dull. The stories are set in early Victorian England, (in and around the 1840s, according to a date given in The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle). The Story of Doctor Dolittle: Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts Never Before Printed (1920) began the series and won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958.The sequel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1922), won Lofting the prestigious Newbery Medal. Eight more books followed, and after Lofting's death two more volumes, composed of short unpublished pieces, appeared. The series has been adapted for film and television many times, for stage twice, and for radio.
Other Works for Children
The Story of Mrs Tubbs (1923) and Tommy, Tilly, and Mrs. Tubbs (1936) are picture books aimed at a younger audience than the Doctor Dolittle books. They concern the titular old woman, her pets (with whom she can speak) and the animals who help her out of trouble.
Porridge Poetry (1924) is the only non-Dolittle work by Lofting still in print. It is a lighthearted, colorfully illustrated book of poems for children.
Noisy Nora (1929) is a cautionary tale about a girl who is a noisy eater. The book is printed as if hand-written, and the many illustrations often merge with the text.
The Twilight of Magic (1930) is aimed at older readers. It is set in an age when magic is dying and science is beginning. This work is the only one of Lofting's books to be illustrated by another person (Lois Lenski).
Victory for the Slain
Victory for the Slain (1942) is Lofting's only work for adults, a single long poem in seven parts about the futility of war; the refrain "In war the only victors are the slain" permeates the poem. It was published only in the United Kingdom.
Lofting was born in Maidenhead, England, to English and Irish parents. His early education was at Mount St Mary's College in Sheffield, after which he went to the United States, completing a degree in civil engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He traveled widely as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Irish Guards to serve in World War I. Not wishing to write to his children of the brutality of the war, he wrote imaginative letters that were the foundation of the successful Doctor Dolittle novels for children. Seriously wounded in the war, he moved with his family to Connecticut in the United States. Lofting was married three times and had three children, one of whom, his son Christopher, is the executor of his literary estate.
"For years it was a constant source of shock to me to find my writings amongst 'juveniles,'" Lofting reported. "It does not bother me any more now, but I still feel there should be a category of 'seniles' to offset the epithet."
Doctor Dolittle
Hugh Lofting's doctor from Puddleby-on-the-Marsh who could speak to animals first saw light in the author's illustrated letters to children, written from the trenches during World War I when actual news, he later said, was either too horrible or too dull. The stories are set in early Victorian England, (in and around the 1840s, according to a date given in The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle). The Story of Doctor Dolittle: Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts Never Before Printed (1920) began the series and won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958.The sequel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1922), won Lofting the prestigious Newbery Medal. Eight more books followed, and after Lofting's death two more volumes, composed of short unpublished pieces, appeared. The series has been adapted for film and television many times, for stage twice, and for radio.
Other Works for Children
The Story of Mrs Tubbs (1923) and Tommy, Tilly, and Mrs. Tubbs (1936) are picture books aimed at a younger audience than the Doctor Dolittle books. They concern the titular old woman, her pets (with whom she can speak) and the animals who help her out of trouble.
Porridge Poetry (1924) is the only non-Dolittle work by Lofting still in print. It is a lighthearted, colorfully illustrated book of poems for children.
Noisy Nora (1929) is a cautionary tale about a girl who is a noisy eater. The book is printed as if hand-written, and the many illustrations often merge with the text.
The Twilight of Magic (1930) is aimed at older readers. It is set in an age when magic is dying and science is beginning. This work is the only one of Lofting's books to be illustrated by another person (Lois Lenski).
Victory for the Slain
Victory for the Slain (1942) is Lofting's only work for adults, a single long poem in seven parts about the futility of war; the refrain "In war the only victors are the slain" permeates the poem. It was published only in the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 29, 2014
Doctor Doolittle is a veterinarian who can talk to animals, he can can speak to almost every species . He has a whole zoo in his backyard. Life takes a turn of events for Doolittle when he meets Tommy Stubbens a boy who would like nothing better than to be a naturalist like his idol and mentor Doctor Doolittle. They eventually go on to travel the world on grand adventures. I liked this book because it was about grand adventure that kept the reader captivated and the author Hugh Lofting created genuine and relatable characters. This is a great book that I would definitely read again!
December 23, 2016
The Adventures of Doctor Doolittle is a beautiful story about John Doolittle, a human doctor who absolutely loves animals, who ultimately becomes a vet and learns to speak the various animal languages. Dr Doolittle experiences a number of financial ups and downs due to his love of his animals and his inability to turn any animal away from his home, whether it is a crocodile, that scares away all of his patients, or a monkey from Africa, named Chee-Chee. Polynesia, an African parrot, is instrumental in guiding Dr Doolittle along the path of becoming a vet and is responsible for teaching him the various animal languages.
Dr Doolittle has again managed to scare away his paying patients when Chee-Chee lets him know that the monkeys in Africa have contracted a serious illness and desperately need his help. Dr Doolittle is determined to find a way to get to Africa to help the sick monkeys. He manages to borrow a boat from a friendly fisherman and set off for Africa with Polynesia, Chee-Chee, Dab-Dab the duck, Gub-Gub the pig and Jip the dog. After a series of mishaps, Dr Doolittle arrives in Africa and manages to find his way to monkey land and to set about assisting the sick monkeys. Dr Doolittle has to overcome a number of obstacles such as escaping the non-believing and unpleasant king he encounters on his arrival in Africa, and gaining the respect and assistance of the lion and the other animals.
Dr Doolittle is a lovely story for children aged 9 to 11 (abridged version if reading alone and unabridged version if they are strong reader or if an adult is reading).
Dr Doolittle has again managed to scare away his paying patients when Chee-Chee lets him know that the monkeys in Africa have contracted a serious illness and desperately need his help. Dr Doolittle is determined to find a way to get to Africa to help the sick monkeys. He manages to borrow a boat from a friendly fisherman and set off for Africa with Polynesia, Chee-Chee, Dab-Dab the duck, Gub-Gub the pig and Jip the dog. After a series of mishaps, Dr Doolittle arrives in Africa and manages to find his way to monkey land and to set about assisting the sick monkeys. Dr Doolittle has to overcome a number of obstacles such as escaping the non-believing and unpleasant king he encounters on his arrival in Africa, and gaining the respect and assistance of the lion and the other animals.
Dr Doolittle is a lovely story for children aged 9 to 11 (abridged version if reading alone and unabridged version if they are strong reader or if an adult is reading).
August 7, 2012
Just finished reading the Adventures of Doctor Doolittle on my Kindle Reader--it was a free offering and I managed to read it off my Android telephone. The story is fun and imaginative, mostly an adventure quest where a young boy meets a mentor because of his love of animals. They take a trip to Spider Monkey Island, a floating island off the coast of Brazil and run into many experiences.
August 22, 2016
Awesome, so awesome! I never read this as a child. Gianni and I read it together. It was an anniversary edition with new illustrations. Just brilliant. And we borrowed it from the Free Library! Wut wut!! Love the FLP!
May 7, 2017
This book is an entertaining adventure and great for all ages to share. So much fun.
February 3, 2024
When I was a child, my Nana gave me books that were my father's childhood stories. The Adventures of Dr. Dolittle was one of them.
I have always loved animals, and I used to think it was possible to talk to them. I remember after reading this I was dismayed when my childhood lab named Pretzel wouldn't talk back to me in English. And I began to think maybe they really couldn't speak because I loved him so much and if he wouldn't speak, maybe it wasn't true they could. But I held onto the possibility that someday he would speak to me in my language. And I maybe drove the adults (my mother) in my life crazy with my whining the pretzel still wouldn't talk to me.
I have a fuzzy recollection of the adults (parents and aunts/uncles/nana) around me telling me that Lofting's book was just fiction, and Pretzel or any animal would never talk to me. Even though I thought that adults knew everything, I remember suspending reality, hoping that maybe just this one time they were wrong. And I would practice over and over with my dog.
Now as an adult who has seen many decades of life, I still believe we can talk to animals. Even though they don't speak the same language as a human being, they do talk to us. Jane Goodall has proven that to be true. And most cat and dog owners are able to communicate with their animals. I know mine understand their names, and understand some words. And also when I'm in the woods, I recognize the "voices" of certain birds and can tell if their calls and songs are for mating or to signify danger. So that's communicating, even if not the way, Dr. Dolittle could.
I wouldn't say that this book influenced me to love animals the way I do, as I already had a strong connection to them before I read the book. But I do know that it strengthened my love for animals and created a curiosity in me about communicating with them. And so, I loved this book. I'd say it inspired me and made me think in question. That's good literature.
I have always loved animals, and I used to think it was possible to talk to them. I remember after reading this I was dismayed when my childhood lab named Pretzel wouldn't talk back to me in English. And I began to think maybe they really couldn't speak because I loved him so much and if he wouldn't speak, maybe it wasn't true they could. But I held onto the possibility that someday he would speak to me in my language. And I maybe drove the adults (my mother) in my life crazy with my whining the pretzel still wouldn't talk to me.
I have a fuzzy recollection of the adults (parents and aunts/uncles/nana) around me telling me that Lofting's book was just fiction, and Pretzel or any animal would never talk to me. Even though I thought that adults knew everything, I remember suspending reality, hoping that maybe just this one time they were wrong. And I would practice over and over with my dog.
Now as an adult who has seen many decades of life, I still believe we can talk to animals. Even though they don't speak the same language as a human being, they do talk to us. Jane Goodall has proven that to be true. And most cat and dog owners are able to communicate with their animals. I know mine understand their names, and understand some words. And also when I'm in the woods, I recognize the "voices" of certain birds and can tell if their calls and songs are for mating or to signify danger. So that's communicating, even if not the way, Dr. Dolittle could.
I wouldn't say that this book influenced me to love animals the way I do, as I already had a strong connection to them before I read the book. But I do know that it strengthened my love for animals and created a curiosity in me about communicating with them. And so, I loved this book. I'd say it inspired me and made me think in question. That's good literature.
October 26, 2023
I’m a little late to the game. I’m impressed by such a progressive character written at that time.
January 30, 2023
This is a book intended for young readers. I read it as an adult, so that colors my rating. The story of Doctor Doolittle and his ability to talk to animals makes for an interesting story. That he sets off with Tommy, Jip the dog, and Polynesia the parrot for adventures around the world should make for some pretty great reading. There are a few great scenes. The book is just too long and drags the fun out so far and wide, I wanted it all to be over with sooner than it was.
Of the 100 Newbery winners that I've read, I ranked this one 91st. I don''t remember many specific things about this book other than how bizarre Tommy thought Doolittle was when he first met him, which was pretty funny.
Of the 100 Newbery winners that I've read, I ranked this one 91st. I don''t remember many specific things about this book other than how bizarre Tommy thought Doolittle was when he first met him, which was pretty funny.
July 30, 2015
Favorite book as a child. The reason I still read today.
February 12, 2020
charming, entertaining, wholesome
April 22, 2020
Really good read and he came up with messages of his time
Enjoyed made a great book that suspends your disbelieve and also showed flashes of genius and was ahead of his time
Enjoyed made a great book that suspends your disbelieve and also showed flashes of genius and was ahead of his time
October 31, 2020
The racist caricatures of the early books are well known, but I'd forgotten how mysoginistic it all was, as well. Still funny in places, though.
June 27, 2023
Cute story. So much more to it than what they focus on in the movies, of course.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews