Scholastic Junior Classics, Retold from Hugh Lofting by Ellen Miles 
 This is a charming story about a doctor who loves animals so much that they crowd people out of his life, and he turns into a veterinarian! The animals live with him, he learns to speak their language, the animals clean for him, he treats their ailments. But word travels quickly in the animal kingdom, and there are many animals who need his help, in this case, a group of monkeys, so Dr. Dolittle and a subset of his menagerie set off on an adventure to share his unique talents with animals in need. 
 Equally as charming is the backstory to this work. Hugh Lofting wrote these stories in the trenches of World War I. Not wanting to expose his children to the horrors of war, Lofting sent them imaginative stories instead. After the war, he continued writing Dr. Dolittle, and won the Newberry Medal. 
 It should be noted that the stories have been retold to eliminate concepts that are offensive to todays audience, particularly ideas about race and colonialism. Wikipedia has a bit on this for those who want to read more: 
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stor... 
 I don't particularly like animal books, but this was a good read aloud story. I appreciated that Dr. Dolittle, while eccentric, doesn't abuse those around him or renege on his responsibilities (ala Mr. Popper's Penguins). I think I should not have approved of an unedited version, but this Scholastic version has done a wonderful job of preserving the whimsical Victorian feel, while editing out the offensive concepts. An excellent Kindergarten/ 1st grade read aloud.