Customer Reviews
Fabulous book, much better than the movie! 
2008-01-07
This is one of those books I found as a child AFTER seeing the Disney movie and reading that it was based on a book. As usual, the book is so much better! If you've never read this book, but you're fond of the movie, or of dogs, you will love it. The story is truly heart-warming, and I love that certain scenes are oh-so familiar if you've seen the movie, but so much of the story is completely new! Did you know Perdita is NOT the name of the "leading lady"? That's all I'll say about the actual story, but please, read it for yourself, even if you don't have kids. It's a wonderful read-aloud book, too--the first time my husband ever heard about this book was when I made him lie down and let me read it to him. We didn't have a child then, so now we get to share it with our son, too. Truly, a wonderful book. However, just so you know--the second book is not nearly so good! I own both of them, but I probably won't read the second one more than one more time, when I read it to my son. It's just not at all the same thing--aliens in London? Anyway, read 101 Dalmations and I know you'll enjoy it!
A review for the parents, with some dog advice 2006-11-06
I won my tattered, dog eared, Disyned-fied copy of "100 Dalmatians" in a school auction when I was 7 years old. I learned to read late because I'm dyslexic (hence any bad spelling you may notice) so this was the first real chapter book that I ever owned and the very first I read.
It was great. This is a fabulous novel for all ages but especially for kids. I'm not going to re-hash the plot because I think the whole world knows it by now. The themes of good parenting, loyalty, and of course, good, intelligent, kind dogs are things that every child should learn. It is true that this book contains some talk of puppy killing, which didn't disturb me, and I'm guessing that today's 7 year olds wouldn't be scared by it either.
Another reason to read, or let your child read this book is that it will encourage a love of dogs, and having grown up with dogs every minute of my life, I can tell you having one (or more) helps immensely in all kinds of situations, social and otherwise. It provides an example of love and loyalty, as well as the responsibility involved in feeding and caring for a dog. However on that note Dalmatians, contrary to the lovable Pongo, Missus and Perdita in this book, do not make good dogs for children. They don't have the temperament for it. If you read this book and decide to get a dog for your child (an excellent idea) I recommend a good old fashioned mutt (they're smarter because they're not inbred) or a border collie, which can actually be trained to be nannies for children because of their sheep herding instincts.
Anyway, five stars. Great for the whole family, and an excellent way to encourage reading in a child of any age. At 18 years old I still love reading this book. And the sequel, "The Twilight Barking" isn't half bad either.
101 Dalmations 2006-07-03
I loved this book I read it when I was very young, I fell in love with it then, I lost the book and for years thought of getting it again. I feared that I would not like it as much, it was as I remembered, and not the Disney version. I still love the book it did not let let me down. It made me laugh, cry and now understand my dog a little more (ha ha)
A Wonderful Story - the original is the best! 2006-02-23
I owned this book by Dodie Smith when I was a boy. I loved it and from this story I developed an even stronger love for dogs and animals in general. Written in a most loving way, the story takes us beyond the later Disney film's watered down presentation of the story and dives deep into the realm of dogs. We discover the magic of "dogdom" and how dogs of every kind communicate with each other and with their humans (as Dodie states, and I am certainly paraphrasing, dogs own their humans, but let them think they own the dogs because it is so sweet!)
I have only one complaint about this publication of the book. the illustrations are just short of atrocious. I had an earlier edition of the book that had wonderful drawings that clearly were created with a real understanding of the story and what Dodie was trying to say. The illustrations in this edition look like they were pulled from someone's generic dog clip art. They are technically fine in their own right (I could NEVER draw like that), but they just don't capture the magic of the book.
If you can look past the illustrations, this is a wonderful story and a well written book.
101 Dalmations has appeal to dog lovers of all ages, breeds and sizes.
Dodie Smith - Thanks for leaving this gem for all to share.
A dark and complex classic for kids 
2005-09-03
This is a charming and delightful book that is deserving of its status as a classic of children's literature.
It takes a dog's eye view of the world, and features as its heroes Pongo and Missis, a pair of Dalmatians whose litter of puppies disappears one day.
As they set off to reunite their family, they find themselves in a struggle against the illegal coat-making operation of one Cruella Deville, an iconic villainess whose name and passion for high temperatures hint that she may be the devil incarnate.
The book becomes a fantastic quest book that takes place in the heart of England. The adult dalmatians find friends and foes along their path, and end up liberating nearly a hundred little puppies.
Smith has fun with the details and logistics of feeding, disguising, and transporting the refugee puppies, and young readers will enjoy learning the particulars of the secret lives of dogs.
The original animated movie adaptation is a good and fairly faithful movie in its own right, but the book is better by far.
Some parents might shy away from the book because of the gruesome idea that Cruella literally skins her young charges, but I think that the darker elements are an integral part of the winning tone, which refrains from talking down to children.
Highly recommended!
Better than the movie 2005-08-13
That daring, hilarious pack of hounds from the classic tale of canine intrigue returns in a beautiful new edition.
One of my all time favorites 2005-08-11
I read this book over 25 years ago and it is still as fresh in my mind now as it was when I sat under the covers with a flashlight, reading after my bed time.
I remember thinking how wonderful the "twilight bark" was and I loved the inventiveness of the plot and storyline. To this day when I hear dogs barking at night, I wonder....
I now have three children of my own and have purchased the book for my oldest son. I just caught him with his book light, under his covers after "lights out"!
An Adventure to Remember 2003-11-10
It is funny. It is exciting. It has an endearing warmth to the heart. Pongo and Missis, a younge married couple of dalmatian dogs, live with Mr. and Mrs. Dearly, a younge married couple of humans. Fifteen delightful puppis are born, to be adored by all. And then-the puppies are stolen. Bye whom? Top men at Scatland yard are frankly baffled. But one of the keenest brains od Dogdom was at work-Pongo had a clue! Nearby lived a sinister woman named Cruella de Ville who had a pasion fo furs. She had shown a marked interest in the puppies-and been heard to wish she had a white fur coat with black spots. By a way known only to dogs (sesret though noisy), Pongo got all the dogs of England to help trace the pups-to a mysterios house in deepest Suffolk. Then he and Missis set out to the rescue. They traveled by night, befriended by many generous dogs. But the recsue turned out to be an even greater task than Pongo expected, for the mysterios house was nothing less than a dalmatian fur farm, guarded by the adominable Baddun brothers. Many dangers had to be faced. Adventure follows adventure as the suspense mounts higher and higher. Ther are many suprises of all is the one the Dearlys get, on a snowy Christmas Eve near the stories triumphant end. Dog-lovers of all gaes will delight in Pongo, Missis, and their family, espesially the tiny Cadpig, who is crazy abot television. Then ther is Perdita, the touching lost dog.And a great dane, a gallant spaniel, a shrewd old sheepdog, and many other dogs of varios breeds play important parts-not to mention a couple of cats,a horse, and some kindly cows. Animals, humans, London, and the country seen are charmingly portrayed in this heart touching tal like no other. A must read.
The first and still the best 2003-08-26
The live-action Disney version of this book was the pits. The animated version wasn't bad at all (I own it). But the book is better than either of them. And, like all the best kids' books, this one, though written for 8-14's, can still be enjoyed when you're way past childhood.
Disney necessarily simplified the story and characters for his movie versions, cutting out a lot of the subtle characterization and background that makes the book seem so completely plausible. Here, instead of "Roger and Anita," we have "the Dearlys," a businessman and his bride, who are "owned" by Pongo and--not Perdita, but "Missis"--and have not one "Nanny" but two, "Nanny Cook" (a real cook) and "Nanny Butler" (a real butler). We learn of Cruella deVil's sinister family history, her furrier husband (never mentioned in the films), and her obsession with furs. We learn that her employees, the Baddun Brothers, dream of appearing on "What's My Crime?" Many of the Pongos' pups--Lucky, Patch, Cadpig, Roly--are fleshed out as they never were on the screen. The sheepdog Colonel is less of a buffoon and more a shrewd strategist. The drama of the puppies' births and early lives is much better portrayed, as is the journey of Pongo and Missis to Suffolk to rescue their stolen family, with introductions to the dogs that help them on their way--the hospitable Golden Retriever, the aged Spaniel and his "pet," 90-year-old Sir Charles, the flighty Irish Setter whose efforts come to naught through a fire, and the tough Staffordshire who occupies the moving van the Dalmatians board to shorten their homeward trip. Cruella's white Persian cat is here too--a clever animal "biding her time" as she waits for the opportunity to settle the score for her drowned litters--and so is the sheepdog's "pet," two-year-old Tommy Tompkins, who lends his toy hay-cart to the army of London-bound dogs. Yet despite a certain anthropomorphization, all the animals are recognizably animals; they behave as such and don't do anything you couldn't visualize such creatures doing. The humor is much more subtle than in the films, no doubt reflecting Smith's British personality. There are episodes like the brief rest in a country church and the Dalmatians' revenge against Cruella that would have made great theater. I still enjoy the animated version, but I keep coming back to the book.
Best book I've ever read! 2003-08-04
This book was awesome a great book to read at night when your all cozy. Get it share it with a friend, whaterver this is trully a masterpiece. Not many people know about this book because of the hacked up version of disney. If everyone on earth read it the least amount of stars would be 5! Enjoy! BYB the starlight barking the sequel was great to but not better than this.
