Doctor Dolittle's Circus

x, 379 pp. Black & white illustrations by author. After returning from his African trip, in which he discovered the Pushmi-Pullyu, a two-headed antelope, Doctor Dolittle is looking for a way to pay off his debt. Inspired by the rarity of his new friend, Dolittle decides to enroll the Pushmi-Pullyu in a circus act. After searching for a circus that would accept his conditions, Doctor Dolittle and Pushmi-Pullyu begin to perform at a circus ran by a man named Blossum. Though Dolittle is originally happy with this arrangement, he soon becomes distressed after hearing the complaints of the other circus animals, who are unhappy with the way they are being treated. But, when Doctor Dolittle speaks on behalf of the animals, Blossum dismisses his concerns. The final straw however, is when Sophie, an Alaskan seal, begins to express her sadness over missing her husband, who she was taken away from when she was forced to join the circus. Deciding to take matters in his own hands, Dolittle begins to plan a daring escape with his circus friends, including evading the coast guard and dressing in humorous disguises.