Welcome to the Top 21 Hugh Lofting stories for kids to read online! This delightful collection of bedtime stories is perfect for children of all ages who love to read and listen to classic stories before they sleep. These amazing Hugh Lofting tales have been carefully selected for their educational value, making them fantastic learning tools for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students. You’ll find both short and longer stories to tell, all of which are available in pdf format, free to download, and printable. Plus, don’t forget the with pictures option, allowing kids to enjoy beautiful illustrations as they read and follow along with each story’s audio version in English.

Hugh Lofting was a famous author who gained popularity for his beloved character, Dr. Dolittle, which is why many kids will appreciate this collection of his works. These stories are known for their engaging plots and well-developed characters, perfect for capturing a child’s imagination. The classic tales featured in this selection will not only entertain children, but will also help them learn valuable life lessons and morals that they can carry through their early years, EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and beyond.

Storytime is essential for both girls and boys, as it helps promote language development, creativity, and a love for reading. So gather your toddlers, boys, and girls together at night time or any other quiet moments for an unforgettable read aloud session. These fun and entertaining stories will be sure to leave them wanting more, while encouraging a lifelong love for reading.

Top 21 Hugh Lofting for kids to read online:

1. Dr. Dolittle Escapes from the Pirates: In this story, Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends are being chased by Barbary pirates on a fast ship. The animals come up with a plan to tie strings to the front of the ship and have swallows pull them along, making the ship move incredibly fast and leaving the pirates behind. The animals are happy and relieved to have escaped from the dangerous pirates.
2. Dr. Dolittle and the Ape Bridge: In this story, the king of Jolliginki sends his army to capture Dr. Dolittle, who is fleeing with his animals through the jungle to the Land of the Apes. Although they are being chased, the group manages to evade capture and reach the Land of the Apes by crossing a living bridge made of apes holding hands and feet. The doctor is impressed and pleased to witness the famous “Ape Bridge.”
3. Dr. Dolittle on a journey: In this story, Dr Dolittle and his animal friends sail towards Africa following the Swallow. They enjoy the warm sun, encounter flying fish and porpoises, and even rescue a stowaway mouse. However, their ship gets wrecked during a storm, and they have to swim to the shore with the help of a rope. Once they reach Africa, they are asked to meet the king of Jolliginki.
4. Dr. Dolittle and His Pets: This story is about a doctor named John Dolittle who loves animals and keeps many kinds of pets. His sister complains about all the animals in their house but the doctor loves them more than people. The number of visitors to see the doctor dwindles until he only has the Cat’s-meat-man left. The doctor becomes poorer and poorer until he sells his piano and brown suit and his savings run out. Despite his financial difficulties, the dogs, cats, and children run up to him and follow him through town just like they did when he was rich.
5. Dr. Dolittle learns animal language: A Cat’s-meat Man advises a doctor to become an animal doctor instead of treating people, and the doctor discovers that animals can talk to each other in their own language. He becomes the best animal doctor and treats many animals. With the help of a parrot, the doctor speaks to many types of animals and discovers the amazing potential of animal communication. Finally, he becomes famous all over the world among animals.
6. Dr. Dolittle has more financial problems: The story follows Dr. Dolittle, who takes care of a variety of sick animals who often stay in his house. He also acquires more pets along the way, like a monkey named Chee-Chee and a crocodile with toothache. However, when Dr. Dolittle’s sister demands that he send the crocodile back to the circus, he refuses, causing Sarah to leave. In order to survive, the animals begin doing housework and try selling vegetables and flowers to make money. Despite their efforts, the group faces financial troubles when winter comes early.
7. Dr. Dolittle is finally back home: In this story, Dr. Dolittle returns to his land with the Pushmi-Pullyu and they join a circus for a while, but they eventually grow tired of it and return to Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. The doctor reunites with his animals and spends happy times with them. He uses his wealth to pay off debts and indulge his animals. Eventually, the winter arrived and the doctor reads to his animals by the fire. The animals in Africa wonder if he will ever come back, but Polynesia hopes he will.
8. Dr. Dolittle in the Fishing Village: In this story, Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends rescue a red-haired fisherman who was left stranded on a rock by a notorious pirate. Thanks to Jip the dog’s cleverness, they are able to find the stranded fisherman and reunite him with his family. As a token of gratitude, the village gifts Dr. Dolittle a watch with diamonds and Jip a golden collar declaring him the smartest dog in the world. Dr. Dolittle and his animal companions soon set sail for home, leaving behind a grateful village with memories of their adventure.
9. Dr. Dolittle and the Rock: In this story, the Doctor and his animals set out to find the little boy’s missing uncle. They have been seeking him for days and at last they catch the scent of his snuff tobacco – but he is nowhere to be found! After much searching, they discover him asleep in a cave in a large rock, where he has been stuck all along. The man is hungry and thirsty, and very grateful to Jip the dog for finding him. The animals are happy and relieved to have accomplished their mission.
10. Dr. Dolittle and Jip the Dog: In this story, Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends are trying to find the missing fisherman uncle of a young boy. They ask eagles to search for him, but the eagles are unsuccessful. Jip the dog uses his sense of smell to locate the uncle, and it is revealed that he is in either Devon or Wales. Despite some bickering between the animals, they ultimately come together to try to solve the problem.
11. Dr. Dolittle and the Blabbermouths of the Ocean: A doctor and his animal friends find a little boy locked in a small room on a pirate ship. The boy tells them that his uncle had been captured by the pirates and he fears that his uncle was thrown overboard and drowned. The doctor and his animal friends promise to help the little boy find his uncle and they ask the porpoises to help them search the ocean. The porpoises inform them that the man’s fishing sloop sank, but they’re pretty certain that he is not dead. The little boy is thrilled to hear the news and the animals celebrate by having tea and eating strawberry jam sandwiches.
12. Dr. Dolittle and Too-Too the Owl hear something: After thanking the sharks, the doctor and his pets continued their journey on a new pirate ship. The animals were amazed at the luxurious furnishings and wondered what was behind a padlocked door that they suspected contained treasure. The owl, Too-Too, heard a sound behind the door and believed that someone was inside. When the doctor agreed to investigate, Too-Too described the person’s movements, concluding that they were crying. The doctor decided to chop a hole in the door to investigate further.
13. Dr. Dolittle and the Barbary Dragon: In this story, Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends are captured by pirates who want a trunk of gold before they let them go. As the situation becomes tense, the pirates’ boat begins to sink, and they are attacked by sharks. Doctor Dolittle makes a deal with the sharks to spare the pirates in exchange for them giving up their piracy and becoming birdseed farmers. The pirates reluctantly agree, and Doctor Dolittle and his friends are able to escape safely with the help of the sharks.
14. Dr. Dolittle receives a warning from the rats: In this story, after three hours of dragging a ship through the sea, the swallows notify the doctor that they need to rest. They head towards an island, hiding in a bay till they regain their strength. The doctor decides to go there to look for water while the animals play on the grass. Later, a rat warns him that the ship is going to sink. The doctor and animals then find water with the help of canaries on the Canary Islands. Shortly after, the swallows tell the doctor that pirates have boarded his ship, and they should flee on their vessel. The doctor and animals quietly go onto the pirates’ empty ship and then escape.
15. Dr. Dolittle: Medicine and Magic: In this story, Polynesia, the parrot, helps Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends escape from prison by giving them a plan for Prince Bumpo, who promises to help them. The doctor turns Bumpo’s face to gold using medicine and tells him to prepare a boat for them while they escape. Later, they sail back home following millions of swallows during the migratory season. While Chee-Chee, Polynesia, and the Crocodile are sad, they bid a tearful farewell to the doctor and his animal friends.
16. Dr. Dolittle and the Prince: In this story, Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends get lost in the jungle while searching for a way to get back home. They accidentally stumble into the king’s palace and are captured again and locked up in prison. However, Polynesia, the parrot, comes up with a plan to help Prince Bumpo turn into a golden prince by convincing him to secretly visit Dr. Dolittle in prison for a magic transformation. The story ends with Bumpo anticipating his transformation, and the reader can download the ebook for offline reading.
17. Dr. Dolittle and the Unique Animal: The story is about a rare and shy animal called the Pushing Pullyu, which had two heads and was very difficult to catch. The monkeys eventually found the animal and tried to convince it to go with Dr. Dolittle to be exhibited and make money, but the animal refused until it met the doctor and trusted him. The doctor and his animals then left for home, but not before saying goodbye to all their animal friends and leaving a stone to mark the spot of their memorable meal. Downloadable ebook available.
18. Dr. Dolittle at the Ape Council: In the story, Chee-Chee helps the Apes determine what gift they should give to Doctor Dolittle, who is departing from their land. They decide to give him a rare animal, the Pushmi-Pullyu, which humans have never seen before. During the discussion, Chee-Chee explains to the Apes the human concept of money and collections, which shocks and confuses them.
19. Dr. Dolittle and the Leader of the Lions: In this story, John Dolittle is busy helping sick monkeys who are dying and he separates the sick ones from the healthy ones. He sets up a grass hut to give the healthy monkeys shots against the disease and builds a big house with many beds for the sick monkeys. He sends messages to other animals to come help with nursing, but the Lion, Leopard, and Antelope refuse. However, when the Leader of the Lions’ cub falls ill, his wife urges him to apologize and help Dolittle. All the animals come together to help Dolittle and soon the monkeys start getting better. Dolittle’s work is done, and he sleeps for three days straight. The story ends with a downloadable PDF of the book.
20. Dr. Dolittle meets the King: In this story, Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends are imprisoned by the king of Jolliginki who does not allow foreigners to travel through his land. Polynesia, the parrot, uses her ability to imitate voices to trick the king into releasing them and threaten him with illness if he doesn’t let them go. The king agrees, but when he realizes he has been tricked, he becomes angry. Nevertheless, Doctor Dolittle and his animals escape and continue on their adventure.
21. Dr. Dolittle receives a message from Africa: In a cold winter evening, the Animals gathered in the kitchen while the doctor read to them. Suddenly the monkey came rushing in, delivering a message from his cousin from Africa, asking for help to stop a terrible disease spreading among the apes. The doctor decided to go to Africa, but they didn’t have enough money to buy tickets. He sent the sailor to borrow a boat and things they needed. They left the house, shut the water to not freeze the pipes, gave the key to the old horse, carried luggage to the shore, and got on the boat. Before they began their journey, the Swallow showed them directions to Africa.

In conclusion, the Top 21 Hugh Lofting books provide a magical, entertaining, and educational journey for young readers. Lofting’s exceptional storytelling skills, vivid imagination, and love for animals shine in his timeless adventures of Dr. Dolittle and other captivating characters. By exploring themes such as friendship, loyalty, and empathy, these stories not only fuel a child’s imagination but also impart valuable life lessons. Overall, delving into the wondrous world of Hugh Lofting is an enriching experience that inspires, amuses, and ignites a passion for reading in children.