1920/1955 has 18 black-and-white drawings by Lofting.  All of these are in 1988 except the last, captioned “’Tiptoe incognito,’ whispered Bumpo” where Bumpo is a bald black man with large ears and big white lips.  Another illustration, “The Doctor started chatting in Spanish to the bed-maker,” has been altered in 1988:  Bumpo has been removed.  Six additional original Lofting drawings have been added, but these lack the detail of those from the earlier edition.  The only picture remaining that includes Bumpo is the one of "The Terrible Three," which is also a caricature.

1998 has only five full-page full-color illustrations (plus a wrap-around cover illustration) by Sonja Lumat.  In my opinion, these have a rather juvenile, greeting-card look.

2001 has three double-page full-color spreads, ten full-page full-color illustrations, and nine full-page black-and-white drawings, all by Michael Hague.  Bumpo appears in a casual white summer suit with a straw hat – but still barefooted.  Long Arrow, the Indian, is wearing a breechcloth (as described in the book).  Both Bumpo and Long Arrow are tall and lean.  Dolittle is portly, bald, and wearing spectacles that hide his eyes, and he is often in a top hat and tails (and looks rather ridiculous).

When compared with Hague (2001) and Lumat (1998), I feel Lofting’s original illustrations are appropriate to use – Dolittle is fat and balding and usually ridiculously dressed in these as well, and the two drawings with Bumpo that were removed in 1988 are not any worse than the one that remains.

Next:  REVISIONS THROUGH THE YEARS