This is the original book about the amazing Dr. Dolittle who "Besides the gold-fish in the pond at the bottom of his garden, he had rabbits in the pantry, white mice in his piano, a squirrel in the linen closet and a hedgehog in the cellar." In it, the kind hearted dreamer learns he likes animals better than humans, is introduced to animal speech by his parrot, Polynesea; he becomes very poor, travels to Africa and has many adventures with his animal friends. And they are indeed friends.
