Why read The Hundred Dresses?

Book cover of The Hundred Dresses

Book description

This Newbery Honor classic, illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist, is a beautifully written tribute to the power of kindness, acceptance, and standing up for what's right.

Wanda Petronski is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. She claims she has one hundred dresses at…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Hundred Dresses as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Lauren A. Mills

Author

I love this heart-felt story with the rough lesson about doing nothing when someone is bullied. Wanda Petronski is a new girl at school who wears the same faded, wrinkled dress every day. When she hears other girls discussing pretty dresses she whispers to the most popular girl that she has one hundred dresses at home. This begins the constant teasing and questioning all about her dresses. One day Wanda does not show up at school and the classmates receive a letter from her father saying that they’ve moved where there are others with funny names like theirs. The one…

From Lauren's list on getting picked on for being different.

Caroline & Katherine Brickley

Author

While The Hundred Dresses is not exactly a picture book being 80 pages long, we cannot think of a better story for children that captures the importance of inclusion and empathy (and that can be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages!). It’s also a great way to get younger readers engaging in longer texts. A Newbery Honor Book, The Hundred Dresses is about Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl who is excluded and bullied by her classmates for wearing only one shabby, sky blue dress. While the book is about Wanda, it is written from the perspective of Maddie:…

From Caroline's list on promoting social emotional learning.