Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1923) Winner
Hugh John Lofting
ヒュー・ジョン・ロフティング
Hyū Jon Rufutingu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1886-01-14 （Maidenhead, Berkshire, England）
- Died
- 1947-09-26 （Topanga, California, United States） age 61
- Nationality
- England, United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Maidenhead, England → Killingworth, Connecticut, United States → Topanga, California, United States
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Poet, Civil engineer
- Active Years
- 1905-1947
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount St Mary's College (Spinkhill) | — | — | — | 〜1905 | England |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | — | Civil engineering | — | 1905–1906 | United States |
Mount St Mary's College (Spinkhill)
Period:
〜1905
Year of Graduation:
1905
Country:
England
Educated at a Catholic boarding school in England.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Civil engineering
Period:
1905–1906
Year of Graduation:
1906
Country:
United States
Attended MIT to study civil engineering; records of degree completion are not certain.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | Newbery Medal | The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle | — | American Library Association | Winner |
| 1958 | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award | The Story of Doctor Dolittle | — | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award | Winner (posthumous) |
Newbery Medal
1923
Work:
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Organization:
American Library Association
Result:
Winner
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
1958
Work:
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
Organization:
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Result:
Winner (posthumous)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
1920 Children's literature, FantasyA children's book describing the early adventures of Doctor Dolittle, a physician who can talk to animals. The stories originated in illustrated letters Lofting sent to his children from the trenches during World War I.
Communication with animalsAdventureRespect for nature
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
1922 Children's literature, FantasyA longer novel following Doctor Dolittle's travels around the world and his adventures with animal companions. It received critical acclaim in the United States and won the Newbery Medal.
ExplorationFriendshipCross-cultural encounters
Adaptations
- [Film] Doctor Dolittle (1967 film) / Richard Fleischer (1967)
- [Film (derived)] Dr. Dolittle (1998 film) / Betty Thomas (1998)
Doctor Dolittle's Circus
1924 Children's literature, FantasyEpisodes focusing on Doctor Dolittle and his animals' involvement with a circus.
CooperationHumor
Victory for the Slain
1942 PoetryA long poem meditating on the futility and horror of war, punctuated by the refrain 'In war the only victors are the slain.'
Anti-warHuman tragedy
Bibliography
- The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920)
- The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1922)
- Doctor Dolittle's Post Office (1923)
- Doctor Dolittle's Circus (1924)
- Doctor Dolittle's Zoo (1925)
- Doctor Dolittle's Caravan (1926)
- Doctor Dolittle's Garden (1927)
- Doctor Dolittle in the Moon (1928)
- Gub Gub's Book: An Encyclopedia of Food (1932)
- Doctor Dolittle's Return (1933)
- Doctor Dolittle's Birthday Book (1936)
- Tommy, Tilly, and Mrs. Tubbs (1936)
- Noisy Nora (1929)
- Porridge Poetry (1924)
- Victory for the Slain (1942)
- Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake (1948, posthumous)
Adaptations
- Doctor Dolittle (1967 film)
- Dr. Dolittle (1998 film, derived)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Accessible narrative voice for childrenHumor and occasional satireVisually oriented storytelling with illustrations
- Recurring Motifs
- Talking animalsVoyages and explorationHuman relationship with nature
Health
-
Cirrhosis of the liver—Died in 1947; death attributed to cirrhosis of the liver.
Legacy
Hugh Lofting significantly influenced children's literature as the creator of Doctor Dolittle. His works have been read across generations and adapted into several films and other media.
Archives
- Project Gutenberg (works by Hugh Lofting)
- Standard Ebooks (ebook editions)
- Internet Archive (works and materials)
In Popular Culture
- 1967 musical film 'Doctor Dolittle'
- 1998 film 'Dr. Dolittle' (starring Eddie Murphy, derived)
Quotes
-
In war the only victors are the slain.
Source: Victory for the Slain (1942)
Trivia
- The Doctor Dolittle stories originated in illustrated letters Lofting sent to his children from the trenches during World War I.
- He won the 1923 Newbery Medal for The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (published 1922).
- Published numerous children's books through the 1920s and 1930s.