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Story of Doctor Dolittle
Once well-visited, well-liked, and well-off, Doctor Dolittle begins to lose patients as a result of his many pets. He does not really care, for he isn't worried about money and he likes animals better anyway. His parrot, Polynesia, who can speak English, teaches Dr. Dolittle to speak her language, and eventually he can communicate with all animals. He soon becomes an animal doctor instead, and he becomes quite rich again as word spreads of amazing success. Soon even wild animals are showing up at his door for help, and Dr. Dolittle never turns anyone away. When he acquires a crocodile, his business again comes to a screeching halt and his money dwindles to the point where the animals know he can not keep feeding them. Quite out of the blue, a sparrow comes with a message. There is a terrible sickness spreading among the monkeys in Africa. Will the doctor come to help? Though he has no money, Dr. Dolittle has such compassion for animals that this can't stop him from getting to Africa. He takes his favorite animals with him (as well as the crocodile, who wants to return to his homeland) and sets off on an extraordinary adventure. An amusing, entertaining story children will love to read themselves or have read to them. Both versions below are unabridged, pb.
