101 Dalmatians
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101 Dalmatians (The Hundred and One Dalmatians #1)
by
Dodie Smith
When the Dearly's Dalmatians have their first litter of puppies--fifteen in all--everyone is delighted. But their joy is shattered when the pups are kidnapped The smartest dogs in London are on the case--and on the trail of the fur-loving Cruella de Vil.
Paperback
Published
by Penguin Longman Publishing
(first published 1956)
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Kelly
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
kids
Recommended to Kelly by:
my grandmother
When I was little, I got a copy of this book from my grandmother. It was old, the cover was falling off, and the edges of the pages were stained red. I adored it, and read it several times.
Later came the various movies, first the animated version, which was enjoyable, and then the live-action movie, which was awful. None maintained what captivated me most about the story - the inner life of the dogs and their complexity.
Anyway, I was suddenly seized by the need to re...more
Later came the various movies, first the animated version, which was enjoyable, and then the live-action movie, which was awful. None maintained what captivated me most about the story - the inner life of the dogs and their complexity.
Anyway, I was suddenly seized by the need to re...more
D
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants a brilliant, brilliant read
Shelves:
ya-lit
O happy day when during a free-reading period in Mrs. Chismar's fifth-grade class I opened an old, dog-eared (as it were) edition of this masterpiece. Smith's ability to evoke a scene and pen enchanting but vulnerable characters earns her a place among the greats. The image of the ancient colonel sharing tea with his Old English Sheepdog in their sound Suffolk country home before a crackling fire on a stormy night is my standard for domestic comfort (Mmm, hot buttered toast). I have only read tw...more
The part of this book I liked best was the Starlight Barking. Since reading it at age 9 or so, I have observed the phenomenon innumerable times. It's comforting to know what the dogs are really doing. Thank you, Dodie Smith, for explaining it so well.
Three or four years ago, while I was living in Sunnyvale, I saw a remarkable example of how useful the Starlight Barking can be. My friend Beth Ann has two very smart Dobermanns. Late one evening, both of them suddenly started yelping fu...more
Three or four years ago, while I was living in Sunnyvale, I saw a remarkable example of how useful the Starlight Barking can be. My friend Beth Ann has two very smart Dobermanns. Late one evening, both of them suddenly started yelping fu...more
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Oh the joy of it. I don't remember seeing the movie as a kid (though I'm told it's the very first movie I ever saw, at a drive-in, at age 4...!) But I vividly remember reading the book when I was in 4th or 5th grade and just loving it. And I wasn't even a "dog person" as a kid (or as an adult, until the past year or so).
Anyway we read it aloud as a chapter book for bedtime last week and it was just as terrific as I remembered. The story is so delightfully British... there...more
Anyway we read it aloud as a chapter book for bedtime last week and it was just as terrific as I remembered. The story is so delightfully British... there...more
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This story was much more of an adventure than I expected it to be. It can also be quite scary and I would not recommend it for very young children or sensitive children or sensitive adults! We all pretty much know the story from the Disney movie (though the movie strays quite a bit from the book, plot, character, etc.) but it's tough to listen to the bad guys talking about skinning the dogs alive and the dogs contemplating revenge by murder. Of course, neither of these things happen, giving t...more
Colin Kinlund
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who despise Disney adaptations
A tale (har har) both sweet and tense, sinister and haunting, pure and whole-hearted. Disney reduced this minor masterpiece to the thinnest frame of its foundation. In this story you can sense the despair, feel the December frost, taste the buttered toast. Also, Mr. Dearly (who is happily married), is a brilliant accountant and mathematician who has been pardoned from income tax for life due to his services to England’s treasury, which I always found vastly more unique and interesting than some ...more
This was one of the first chapter books I ever read, and remains my favorite to this date. Not because of nostalgia, but because it genuinely is an incredibly well-written book.
While, when taken at face value, the whole concept seems strange for a book, it fills a role in a niche genre of young adults/youth fiction written from the perspective of animals (Black Beauty, S'not Stew, Watership Down, Bambi, etc.) but while many other books in the genre have a grim, sort of Dickensian appr...more
While, when taken at face value, the whole concept seems strange for a book, it fills a role in a niche genre of young adults/youth fiction written from the perspective of animals (Black Beauty, S'not Stew, Watership Down, Bambi, etc.) but while many other books in the genre have a grim, sort of Dickensian appr...more
Growing up, like many children, Disney was a cause for fascination for me. I loved their animal stories the best, and 101 dalmatians was one of my favorites. It was not until I was around 14 that I first read this book; I found a copy while on holiday at the beach in a pokey second hand store, and was pulled straight back into the book.
Dodie tells a different story to Disney, and in most ways it is more charming. The inclusion of Perdita as the much loved milk giver and washer of the...more
Dodie tells a different story to Disney, and in most ways it is more charming. The inclusion of Perdita as the much loved milk giver and washer of the...more
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF SPOILERS, BUT IF YOU"VE SEEN THE MOVIE, YOU WILL PROBABLY KNOW THE BASIC PLOT ALREADY.
For the last few nights my bedtime reading book was Dodie Smith's The Hundred and One Dalmatians (Disney changed the name a little.) If you grew up the with Disney version, you may not know the original novel on which it is based, which is a little darker, more imaginative and more elegant than the movie. (Please don't kill me, Disney fans!) First publishe...more
For the last few nights my bedtime reading book was Dodie Smith's The Hundred and One Dalmatians (Disney changed the name a little.) If you grew up the with Disney version, you may not know the original novel on which it is based, which is a little darker, more imaginative and more elegant than the movie. (Please don't kill me, Disney fans!) First publishe...more
I am so thankful my elementary school library had a copy of this book, or I might never have known the movie is a sham! (My kids like the movie. It's OK, but it's not the story.) I just read this with my son, and once he got over it not being just like the movie, he liked it and thought a lot of it was very funny.
One argument some people have concerns the sexism in the book. Well, it is there, right out front. However, having read Smith's "I Capture the Castle", I cannot...more
One argument some people have concerns the sexism in the book. Well, it is there, right out front. However, having read Smith's "I Capture the Castle", I cannot...more
While the plot is a mystery to few people, Dodie Smith knows how to write a book. In The Hundred and One Dalmatians she was somehow able to penetrate into the world of dog and bring to light several mysteries. The narrative is brilliantly unique and well worth the read (even if you’ve already seen the Disney movie 101 times).
The story surrounds Pongo and Missis and the dognapping of their litter of 15 puppies. While the subsequent rescue effort is slightly less than epic, the read...more
The story surrounds Pongo and Missis and the dognapping of their litter of 15 puppies. While the subsequent rescue effort is slightly less than epic, the read...more
Mariel
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone wanting a cozy laugh
Recommended to Mariel by:
my damnatian
My dog died today. I'm sad. I'm going to miss the little bugger that has been in my life since I was seventeen years old. I couldn't pay tribute to what he meant to me except to hope that I hugged him enough when he was alive (he loved to hug back by putting his paws on your shoulders. Best dog ever!). 101 Dalmatians is an awesome book about those dogs. I'm also never going to read it again, or watch the movie. Too sad.
I doubt Fox would have considered me floating a goodreads revie...more
I doubt Fox would have considered me floating a goodreads revie...more
Forget everything you know about the 101 Dalmatians via Disney and read Dodie Smith's original novel.
I am not a dog lover and I certainly have a bad track record for reading and enjoying books that are about animals but I was actually pretty charmed by this book.
The characters! So well drawn. Pongo and Missis, the Dearlings, Nanny Butler and Nanny Cook, Perdita and all the wonderful dogs and other animals who make appearances throughout the novel. And of course, Cruella De Vil. A...more
I am not a dog lover and I certainly have a bad track record for reading and enjoying books that are about animals but I was actually pretty charmed by this book.
The characters! So well drawn. Pongo and Missis, the Dearlings, Nanny Butler and Nanny Cook, Perdita and all the wonderful dogs and other animals who make appearances throughout the novel. And of course, Cruella De Vil. A...more
I had picked this book up on a whim quite a while ago from a Value Village – side note; it’s an amazing place to find used books – and it took me quite a long time to come around to pick it up and read it. As a child I loved the Disney movie (the original, not one of the sequels or the live-action version), and I own a VHS copy of it which I haven’t sat down to watch lately, so a few weeks ago I figured that i would give it a chance and see just how similar the movie was to the book.
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This is a really good book, it is also a movie made by walt disney.
It talks about a type of spotted dogs called dalmations and takes place in London. A man name Roger lives with his dog named Pongo. Pongo wanted to find a mate for his "Pet" and one day he finds another dalmation and ultimately wanted to meet her. Her name is Perdita. Pongo brings Roger to the park to meet with his new mate (Anita) and they end up getting married. (So do the dogs)
Later they had 15 puppies, b...more
It talks about a type of spotted dogs called dalmations and takes place in London. A man name Roger lives with his dog named Pongo. Pongo wanted to find a mate for his "Pet" and one day he finds another dalmation and ultimately wanted to meet her. Her name is Perdita. Pongo brings Roger to the park to meet with his new mate (Anita) and they end up getting married. (So do the dogs)
Later they had 15 puppies, b...more
Pongo and his new wife Missis, along with their two human "pets," are delighted by the arrival of puppies, but their joy is shattered when the puppies mysteriously disappear. The two dogs do some sleuthing to find out where their puppies have gone, and embark on a cross-country adventure to rescue them from the diabolical Cruella de Ville.
There is a genre of 1950's British children's literature, usually populated with animal characters, that is charming and enjoyable for b...more
There is a genre of 1950's British children's literature, usually populated with animal characters, that is charming and enjoyable for b...more
This was one of the most sexist books I have ever read. Worse, I first read it when I was ten or so and didn't notice the sexism, which means that its ridiculous list of 'male' and 'female' attributes went into my psyche unchallenged.
According to Dodie Smith, men and male dogs are stronger, don't feel the cold, understand both numbers and words better, have a sense of direction, possess deductive powers, are inventive, loyal and brave.
Women and female dogs can't tell th...more
According to Dodie Smith, men and male dogs are stronger, don't feel the cold, understand both numbers and words better, have a sense of direction, possess deductive powers, are inventive, loyal and brave.
Women and female dogs can't tell th...more
I read this book when I was nine or ten years old. And then I read it again and again and again. I think that I could practically recite it by heart by the time I was thirteen. It´s funny and loving and full of courage and kindness (as well as the inimitable Cruella de Vil). It is also full of irony and subtle humor that I only discovered upon reading it to my son . . . If you've only seen the movie, definitely try the book.
While the book is charming, this is not one of those instances where the book is better than the movie. Bill Peet's screenplay is a faithful adaptation that trims the fat when necessary: in redundant characters and descriptions of where the dogs slept, how long, and what they ate that slow the action. I read the book to learn more about Cruella DeVil and was pleased that, while her appearances are few and brief, Dodie Smith provides a deeper glimpse into her private life than we were afforded ...more
So I'm apparently on this kick where I read a bunch of books that were later adapted into animated films by Disney. I've known about this one for many years, but now was a good time to pick it up (it was the perfect size to take on our trip to Walt Disney World, and seemed fitting). This is the well-known and well-loved story of English Dalmatians Pongo and Missis, and their journey to rescue their 15 puppies (and their many fellow Dalmatian captives) from the fur-obsessed Cruella de Vil.
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This is a classic. It does vary from the actual movie which I was surprised to see. (I didn't know until I was an adult that there was a book that the movie was based on). I never read it as a child, but loved 101 Dalmatians the original Disney movie. This was a neat way to releave stress and go into a world I remember, but haven't visited recently.
if you've read the book, then you know that disney slaughtered it when they made the movie (both of them). the book is told from a decidedly dog perspective, but without the stupidity or cloying usually associated with talking animals. these dogs know what's up. and cruella's pretty scary and less of a caricature. good stuff.
Lénou
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
librarians & adults considering for children
This classic is very different than the movie version by Disney. Although quite a good story, it is dated, especially in the stereotypical portrayal of women(even if they apply to the talking dogs). Misses and Perdita are portrayed as less intelligent, less motivated and definitely the weaker sex. Pongo is a "genious" quite like his master, an incredible accountant who has rescued the government's economy thus earning a lifetime exemption on income taxes. In spite of its "class...more
I can't resist a story set in England between the wars, and as Dodie Smith is the author of one of my favorite books of all time, I Capture the Castle, I can't resist this book. It's so much better than the Disney movie (shocker: Perdita is not Pongo's wife. She's a wet nurse brought in to help Pongo's wife Missis with the puppies) but when I read it this time I was a little shocked at how sexist it was. Little things like Missis being unable to follow directions or tell her left from her right,...more
Grace
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who like dogs, childrens books, or want to read something light and fun but not cheesy.
Shelves:
1930s
I learned from this book that I should be studying children's literature, not the Victorian stuff! This was actually a really nice, fun book. I would by all means recomend it, to more or less anyone.
The 101 Dalmatians is either a dark children's book or a somewhat sexist look into 1930s England, using dogs as an anology for different classes of people. The story is well-known via the Disney movie: a couple have two dalmatians (this being a proper upper class England, they are married) who in turn have a litter of puppies. The neighbor wants to make jackets out of the puppy pelts. She steals them, and the dalmatian parents go across England, meeting all sorts of dog helpers (and a cat for go...more
The story is told, continuously, from a dog's point of view. It is mentioned how humans believe that they own dogs; whereas the truth is that the dogs own them. Pongo and Missus continually refer to their humans as their pets, and one can see that mentality in their conversations. All the dogs in the story seem to enjoy doting on their humans. Another interesting quirk is how the dogs are `married'. Pongo continually refers to Missus as his wife, and she calls him husband. A dog's marriage cerem...more
I like the voice and tone of it. I must admit, however, that I did not read it, but rather listened to the sound recording, so whether I liked it due to the author's writing of to the reader's interpretation, I cannot say.
I like the way the author treats the dogs and how the Dearlings treat the dogs. I especially like the respect the author gives to the veterinarian. I do not like, however, the way in which the author treats the female sex.
The story is good, probably a wee bit bett...more
I like the way the author treats the dogs and how the Dearlings treat the dogs. I especially like the respect the author gives to the veterinarian. I do not like, however, the way in which the author treats the female sex.
The story is good, probably a wee bit bett...more
I LOVED this book! Until recently I didn't know that the Disney movie which enthralled me as a youngster, was based on a book. (I don't know why, since just about every great Disney flick was based on one!) The book of course was a bit different than the movie, and even better. I loved the way the story was told from Pongo and Missis' perspective. In the book, Perdita is a stray who becomes a foster mother to the pups. I also loved the humor of the book. It's a bit more sophisticated than...more
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Born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, Dodie Smith was raised in Manchester (her memoir is titled "A Childhood in Manchester"). She was just an infant when her father died, and she grew up fatherless until age 14, when her mother remarried and the family moved to London. There she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and tried for a career as an actress, but with litt...more
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