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annabannana's review against another edition
This book starts out with a story about a slave ship and goes on to have many observations that are highly prejudiced and Eurocentric.
I don't think Hugh Lofting meant to be racist, but this book was written in a different era and it really shows.
I read this with my 1st grader and had many discussions along the way.
I would not recommend that today's children read it without a lot of discussion and thought about it.
I don't think Hugh Lofting meant to be racist, but this book was written in a different era and it really shows.
I read this with my 1st grader and had many discussions along the way.
I would not recommend that today's children read it without a lot of discussion and thought about it.
sher221bb's review against another edition
5.0
What marvelous story of Doctor Dolittle and His Animals, the greatest companions that a man can have ✨
lgpiper's review against another edition
4.0
I'm sure I read this back in about 5th grade, which was pretty much back in the dark ages. I loved Doctor Doolittle before he got swallowed up by Hollywood. In the past couple of years, I've reread the first two of the Doctor Doolittle books. They were charming stories, albeit rather racist. Whatever, I decided to read the next one on the list despite the racism.
There's a lot to like about this book. On the other hand, it does meander and seems to lack focus. I'm not sure Lofting knew where he was going, so he just made stuff up and ended up with lots of interesting vignettes, but not a coherent whole.
Doctor Doolittle and friends are headed back to England after having visited Africa. They come upon a woman weeping in a canoe and stop to help. It seems her husband was sold into slavery, so the Doctor goes off to help capture the slave traders, something he does with the help of a British Man o' War he bumps into by accident, and also some swallow friends, who act as scouts. When they get the woman and her husband reunited, Doctor Doolittle and friends take her home. When they get there, they learn that the woman had written the king asking him not to sell her husband, but the king never got the letter, because the post office in his country wasn't properly organized. So Doctor Doolittle sets up a well-organized and reliable post office that uses migrating birds to carry the mails. Well, at one point and another, the good doctor also sets up a weather bureau, helps an impoverished kingdom gain riches by way of a pearl fishery, protects the same impoverished kingdom from the depredations of rampaging amazons (I'm not sure how it is that Amazons, i.e. big, strong, active women—kind of like the Williams sisters—are to be found in Africa, despite the fact that "The Amazon" is in South America), visits an ancient turtle who personally witnessed the Flood in the Noah and the Ark story (never mind that that flood took place in the Middle East, not Africa), and so forth. It's just one thing sort of leading to another without plan (kind of like my sentence structure).
So, anyway, this is a quite good read. It's probably a better read for 10-year olds who aren't so picky about having things make sense. On the other hand, there are little bits of wry humor in some of the events and asides that aren't likely to be properly understood except by more mature readers (e.g. a quip about "pearls before swine").
There's a lot to like about this book. On the other hand, it does meander and seems to lack focus. I'm not sure Lofting knew where he was going, so he just made stuff up and ended up with lots of interesting vignettes, but not a coherent whole.
Doctor Doolittle and friends are headed back to England after having visited Africa. They come upon a woman weeping in a canoe and stop to help. It seems her husband was sold into slavery, so the Doctor goes off to help capture the slave traders, something he does with the help of a British Man o' War he bumps into by accident, and also some swallow friends, who act as scouts. When they get the woman and her husband reunited, Doctor Doolittle and friends take her home. When they get there, they learn that the woman had written the king asking him not to sell her husband, but the king never got the letter, because the post office in his country wasn't properly organized. So Doctor Doolittle sets up a well-organized and reliable post office that uses migrating birds to carry the mails. Well, at one point and another, the good doctor also sets up a weather bureau, helps an impoverished kingdom gain riches by way of a pearl fishery, protects the same impoverished kingdom from the depredations of rampaging amazons (I'm not sure how it is that Amazons, i.e. big, strong, active women—kind of like the Williams sisters—are to be found in Africa, despite the fact that "The Amazon" is in South America), visits an ancient turtle who personally witnessed the Flood in the Noah and the Ark story (never mind that that flood took place in the Middle East, not Africa), and so forth. It's just one thing sort of leading to another without plan (kind of like my sentence structure).
So, anyway, this is a quite good read. It's probably a better read for 10-year olds who aren't so picky about having things make sense. On the other hand, there are little bits of wry humor in some of the events and asides that aren't likely to be properly understood except by more mature readers (e.g. a quip about "pearls before swine").
mercenator's review against another edition
3.0
My son loves these books Becayse he wants to be doctor Doolittle. However, the books are vaguely problematic in their colonialist bullshit. It was a good opportunity to talk about stuff like that with my son, but I don’t relish turning night time reading into a fairly complex conversation every single day. I suspect we will stop reading this series after this one…but did you know there are something like 11 books in this series?!
annamariatr's review against another edition
5.0
Just to clarify, I don't condone the racist undertones in these novels whatsoever. I have only noticed them now because the last time I read this book, I was in kindergarten. Having grown up in a European country, where almost 100 per cent of the people are white, I didn't notice it as a kid. The rating is mainly for the way I felt about this book about ten years ago. It still brings me happy memories, but unfortunately, I can't ignore Lofting's prejudice against all people of colour. I still haven't quite figured out how to feel about problematic books that bring me enjoyment. The age-old question: should we separate the art from the artist? It should be noted that the author wrote them almost one hundred years ago, but it still shouldn't be condoned.
katchoo1's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay -- I was prooflistening for a recorded version for Librivox. Stories involved Dolittle going off to Africa and setting up a post office there, so it was very imperialist and plenty of the casual racism/stereotypes (including in drawings by author) usual for the time. While racist, Dolittle's attitudes are generally positive -- he's on the "we need to civilize these backwards people" end of the scale and his actions are meant to help (by making them more like the British of course) -- but not the "these are savage animals" end. In one of the stories he rescues the husband of a local woman who has been kidnapped by slavers (book was written in the 1920s but takes place in early Victorian period). Dolittle's attitude is generally well meaning and accepting; one character( a talking bird) who talks all the time about how things are better in England and complains about heathens and savages and unfamiliar food is played for laughs and the reader is supposed to understand that his approach is not the right one. Relic of its time, but it is a reasonable document of its time as well.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
4.0
On his many voyages, Doctor Dolittle stops by an African kingdom to help them establish their post office, and has the idea to start a post office for the animals as well. The birds have their own way of writing, which the Doctor helps them refine so they can write letters to each other. He is inundated with letters from animals all over the world asking for advice.
I enjoyed this funny story and all the hilarious antics of the animals! The characters are all so different and memorable, and the ridiculous situations the Doctor finds himself in always lead to some new discovery. The plot is interesting and kept my attention through the many different episodes. I really enjoyed the simple, old-fashioned writing style, and the compassion the Doctor extends to anyone in need.
I enjoyed this funny story and all the hilarious antics of the animals! The characters are all so different and memorable, and the ridiculous situations the Doctor finds himself in always lead to some new discovery. The plot is interesting and kept my attention through the many different episodes. I really enjoyed the simple, old-fashioned writing style, and the compassion the Doctor extends to anyone in need.
katekat's review against another edition
5.0
The Hugh Lofting Doctor Dolittle stories are classics that stand the test of time. I really enjoy them and find them clever and enjoyable. I think the writing can be seen as a bit dated but I think it's still extremely readable.
katekat's review against another edition
5.0
The Hugh Lofting Doctor Dolittle stories are classics that stand the test of time. I really enjoy them and find them clever and enjoyable. I think the writing can be seen as a bit dated but I think it's still extremely readable.
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