Happy birthday today to Hugh Lofting, born on January 14, 1886. In the literary world, he was famous for giving the us Dr. Dolittle. My favorite is “The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle” 1922. My copy is the seventh printing, August 1925.
When I read this book (last night, and every couple of years), I am not only taken into the world of where someone could talk to animals, but I am taken back to second grade in Spring Bluff School, where our teacher (was it Mrs Schenk or a librarian?) would read out loud, with us following along and also reading a paragraph when called out to.
On the Saturday morning after starting the book in School, when my mom always dropped me off at the Zion public library, I checked out the book. I spent the weekend lost in adventures. Not only was that story wonderful, but I had an ‘edge up” on my classmates when we had to read in class the next week. I knew what was going to happen and didn’t worry about being called to stutter through a paragraph, because I was transported again. I could read out loud what I had already read quietly.
It is a good book. Was the second winner of the Newbery award, in 1923. I have eight additional novels of Dr. Dolittle travels in the library. Few years ago, my granddaughter and I were exploring a used bookstore, and I found another Hugh Lofting Book, “the Twilight of Magic”. Originally published in 1931, I have Simon and Schuster edition, 1993. It is a nice tale of a witch, children, and a magic whispering shell. I was transported to a new world again.
We should always remember to feed the child within us. Keep reading.
Librarytomes 