Doctor Dolittle's Post Office

By Hugh Lofting

Book Overview

"Doctor Dolittle's Post Office" is a charming and imaginative tale in Hugh Lofting's celebrated series about the physician who possesses the extraordinary ability to speak with animals. In this installment, the kind-hearted Doctor Dolittle travels to Africa, where he discovers the inefficiencies of communication among the animal kingdom. To remedy this, he establishes the first postal service run by and for animals, known as the Swallow Mail.

This classic of children's literature follows the Doctor, his loyal dog Jip, and a cast of delightful creatures as they navigate the challenges of organizing a global mail network. From the sophisticated logistics of bird-led delivery to the humorous interactions between species, the narrative showcases Lofting's unique blend of whimsy and adventure. The story highlights themes of cooperation, empathy, and the bridging of worlds through communication.

As a cornerstone of early 20th-century fantasy, "Doctor Dolittle's Post Office" continues to captivate readers with its inventive world-building and the enduring appeal of a hero dedicated to the well-being of all living things. It remains an essential work for those who cherish timeless animal stories and the spirit of exploration.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025612167
• ISBN13: 9781025612164
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Faster than Anything

Well, of course, today we live in a world of e-mail, instant text messages, and faxes. But once upon a time, in Hugh Lofting's _Doctor Dolittle's Post Office_ (1923), the good Doctor had a plan to make the mail speedier and more efficient. It was to be the swiftest mail in the world, and it involved (among other things) a flock of gulls, a houseboat, tea parties, licorice flavored stamps, a pifflosaurus, Cheapside the London sparrow, a white peacock, scribbling classes, and the Cape Stephen Lighthouse. There were no computers, cell phones, or fax machines. But I'll bet that you will find that the Doctor's P.O. is a damned sight more fun. There are a number of antagonists in this book: a ship of slavers, a hot-tempered navy captain, a spy from the Royal Meteorological Bureau, a pistol-packing pearl thief, and a dictatorial Emir. All are human. The animals might be foolish (like Gub-Gub) or cheeky (like Cheapside), or tempermental and vain. But they are rarely villainous. We know the same secret that Doctor Dolittle knows-- that if the world were run by the animals, it would be a better place. There may be a time when fathers will say, "When _I_ was a boy, _I_ didn't get to teleport to school. _I_ had to ride in a rickety old bus!" Let's hope that even in those speedy times this account of the Doctor's Post Office will still be read and enjoyed.

good, although kind of a potpourri

this isn't the best doctor dolittle book, but it's a fun read. the book takes place in africa and concentrates on birds. there are several new characters including speedy the swallow and quip, and dab-dab has a slightly bigger role than usual (and cheapside also to some extent). this book features the first appearance of mud-face the turtle and the secret lake, and there's a nice section where each of the main characters tells a story. the beginning is a little slow and some of the scenes seem a bit familiar, but in general it's good fun.

Doctor Dolittle's Post Office

In this famous story, the great Vet/Naturalist is at it again,this time starting a Post Office/Weather bureau for the animals with birds for postmen!I reccomend collectors read this one before packaging it. Fine story,but be aware of certain minor ethnic references.