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Doctor Dolittle’s Zoo
Written & Illustrated by
by Hugh Lofting
©2021 Wilder Publications, Inc.
Cover image © Can Stock Photo / colematt
Doctor Dolittle’s Zoo is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or institutions is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except for brief quotations for review purposes only.
Hardcover ISBN 13: 978-1-5154-4888-4
Trade Paperback ISBN 13: 978-1-5154-4889-1
E-book ISBN 13:978-1-5154-4890-7
Table of Contents
PREFACE
THE FIRST CHAPTER: A MESSAGE FROM DAB-DAB
THE SECOND CHAPTER: THE ADVENTURER'S RETURN
THE THIRD CHAPTER: THE SURPRISE PARTY
THE FOURTH CHAPTER: THE NEW ZOO
THE FIFTH CHAPTER: ANIMAL TOWN
THE SIXTH CHAPTER: POVERTY AGAIN
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER: THE BADGER'S TOOTH
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER: THE PUDDLEBY GOLD RUSH
THE NINTH CHAPTER: THE MOUSE CODE
THE TENTH CHAPTER: THE NEW LEARNING
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER: THE RAT AND MOUSE CLUB
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER: THE MOONIVERSARY DINNER
THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER: THE HOTEL RAT
THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER: LEERY, THE OUTCAST
THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER: THE VOLCANO RAT
THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER: THE VOICES IN THE EARTH
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER: THE UNITED RAT STATES REPUBLIC
THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER: THE MUSEUM MOUSE
THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER: PROFESSOR FOOZLEBUGG'S MASTERPIECE
THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER: THE PRISON RAT
THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER: A RAT'S PILGRIMAGE
THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER: THE STABLE MOUSE
THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER: THE CUNNING OF LUCIFER, THE JACKDAW
THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER: MOORSDEN MANOR
THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER: THE FIRE
THE TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTER: THE LEATHER BOXES
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER: THE WATCH DOGS
THE TWENTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER: THE SCRAP OF PARCHMENT
THE TWENTY-NINTH CHAPTER: THE COMING OF KLING
THE THIRTIETH CHAPTER: THE MYSTERY OF MOORSDEN MANOR
THE THIRTY-FIRST CHAPTER: THE DOG DETECTIVE
THE THIRTY-SECOND CHAPTER: OLD MR. THROGMORTON
THE THIRTY-THIRD CHAPTER: THE SECRET CUPBOARD
THE THIRTY-FOURTH CHAPTER: THE WILD RIDE OF THE WHITE MOUSE
“POLYNESIA,” I said, leaning back in my chair and chewing the end of a quill pen, “what should you say would be the best way to begin another book of Doctor Dolittle's memoirs?”
The old parrot, who was using the glass inkpot on my desk as a mirror, stopped admiring her reflection and glanced at me sharply.
“Another!” she exclaimed. “Is there going to be another Dolittle book?”
“Why—er—yes,” I said. “After all, we are writing the Doctor's life and we haven't nearly finished yet.”
“Oh, yes, I quite see that,” said Polynesia. “I was only wondering who decides how many books there shall be.”
“Well, I suppose—in the end—the public does,” said I. “But tell me now: how would you begin?”
“Thomas Stubbins Esquire,” said she, screwing up her eyes, “that's a very difficult question to answer. There is so much of interest in the life of John Dolittle that the problem is what to leave out, rather than what to put in. Already I see gray hairs showing at your temples, Tommy. If you try to write down everything the Doctor did, you'll be nearly my age before you've finished. Of course, you're not writing this book for the scientists exactly, though I confess I often think since you are the only person so far—besides the Doctor—to talk animal languages at all well, that you ought to write something sort of—er—highbrow in natural