How did we research the popularity of Doctor Dolittle around the world?
We examined the popularity of Doctor Dolittle around the world using the Google Trends tool with the keyword “Dolittle”.
In which countries is Doctor Dolittle most popular?
The countries where Doctor Dolittle is most popular are:
- Poland,
- Sri Lanka,
- Hungary.
Why is Doctor Dolittle the most popular in Poland?
Doctor Dolittle is probably the most popular in Poland because:
- After World War II, which severely devastated Poland in the years 1939-1945, and after 1945 placed Poland under the political administration of the Soviet Union, editions of books about Doctor Dolittle were rarer examples of Western literature for children.
- The content about travel, exotic countries, kindness and justice was very well received by impoverished (and even starving) people after the war.
- The book became school reading.
- The Polish editions were very well translated (by Wanda Kragen, Janina Mortkowiczowa) and beautifully illustrated (by Zbigniew Langren).
Popularity of Doctor Dolittle over time
The popularity of Doctor Dolittle over time is presented in the chart below. There is a noticeable spike in interest after the release of the film Doctor Dolittle with Robert Downey Jr., which coincided with the action of pandemic in 2020.
Unfortunately, the chart shown above does not capture popularity prior to 2004, which would be most interesting for assessing Doctor Dolittle’s generational impact.