The Hundred Dresses

Wanda Petronski is the unwitting star of this sad little story that speaks to all of us. Wanda definitely stands out in Room 13--she has a Polish name, lives in a poor part of town and has only one dress to wear to school. To defend herself against her classmates' taunts, she brags that she has one hundred beautiful dresses in her closet. Narrator Moore perfectly captures the mocking of the girls, along with Wanda's wounded young voice, as well as the voice of the only girl who feels guilty about the cruel behavior. Moore's delivery, at once distraught and sparkling, creates a visual picture for this appearance-driven story. Her pace perfectly matches the clever surprise ending. S.G.B. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine

September 1, 2004
Classic titles return in time for the gift-giving season. For a new generation of readers, Eleanor Estes's long-treasured title, The Hundred Dresses (1944), illus. by Louis Slobodkin, appears in its 60th anniversary finery with newly "restored color" in the artwork. Wanda faces mockery at school, both because of her "funny" last name (Petron-ski) and her claims that she has 100 dresses at home even though she wears the same one to school each day. .