Photo of Hugh Lofting
Open Library

Hugh Lofting

1 series 18 books in order

Hugh John Lofting was a British author, born in 1886 and died in 1947, trained as a civil engineer, who created the character of Doctor Dolittle, one of the classics of children's literature. His doctor from Puddleby-on-the-Marsh who could speak to animals first appeared in the author's illustrated letters to children, written from the trenches during World War I when actual news was, he later said, either too horrible or too dull.

Born
1886
Known for
Doctor Dolittle

Series by Hugh Lofting

Doctor Dolittle

18 books in order · 1920–1936

  1. Cover of The Story of Doctor Dolittle (Dalmatian Press Adapted Classic)
    Buy on Amazon
  2. Cover of The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

    The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

    Year unknown · Hugh Lofting

    Dr. Dolittle travels with his assistant, Tommy Stubbins, his dog Jip, and his parrot Polynesia on a voyage across tropical seas. They search for his…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  3. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's post office

    Doctor Dolittle's post office

    1923 · Hugh Lofting

    Doctor Dolittle establishes a swallow mail service for the animals after discovering they have their own system of writing. This allows the animals…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  4. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's Circus

    Doctor Dolittle's Circus

    1924 · Hugh Lofting

    The Doctor needs money to pay off a voyage to Africa, so he joins a circus with the pushmi-pullyu as his attraction. He enlightens a circus owner who…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  5. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's zoo

    Doctor Dolittle's zoo

    1925 · Hugh Lofting

    Doctor Dolittle's zoo is located in the garden of his house in Puddleby. Unlike a typical zoo, the doors have locks on the inside, allowing the…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  6. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's caravan

    Doctor Dolittle's caravan

    1926 · Hugh Lofting

    John Dolittle takes his circus to London, where he stages a bird opera with the help of the canary Pippinella. The story is part of the Doctor…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  7. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's Garden

    Doctor Dolittle's Garden

    1927 · Hugh Lofting

    Doctor Dolittle's Garden is a 1927 book by Hugh Lofting. It is book 7 of the series John Dolittle.

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  8. Cover of Doctor Dolittle in the moon

    Doctor Dolittle in the moon

    1928 · Hugh Lofting

    The eighth work in the Doctor Dolittle Books by Hugh Lofting. Doctor Dolittle travels to the moon, where he finds a whole new world of animals and…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  9. Cover of Doctor Dolittle's Return

    Doctor Dolittle's Return

    1933 · Hugh Lofting

    Doctor Dolittle's Return is a 1933 book by Hugh Lofting. It is book 10 of the series John Dolittle.

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
  10. Cover of Doctor Dolittle and the secret lake

    Doctor Dolittle and the secret lake

    Year unknown · Hugh Lofting

    Dr. Dolittle revisits the ancient giant turtle Mudface, who tells the story of the Great Flood. Reviewers note this book has a more serious tone than…

    Read more →
    Buy on Amazon
Show all 18 Doctor Dolittle books in order →

Frequently asked questions

How many books has Hugh Lofting written?

We list 18 books by Hugh Lofting across 1 series, published between 1920–1936 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Hugh Lofting's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Story of Doctor Dolittle (Dalmatian Press Adapted Classic).” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Hugh Lofting's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.