The Hundred Dresses Book Review and Content Guide
The Hundred Dresses Book Review and Content Guide. This Newberry Honor Book was originally published in 1944. It is set in a small school in Connecticut. This is a classic tale of bullying with a gentle lesson to the reader: be courageous, take a stand, and speak up.
Please note the review contains content warnings which are not meant to shame you for enjoying certain books. It doesn’t mean you should avoid it or that you should feel personally judged by the warnings. It’s a heads up for the mama who doesn’t have time to pre-read every book before sharing it with their precious children. We all have different family values and kids of varying ages. Sometimes I will include warnings that may not apply to your family. Please continue to have discernment with book selections for your family. You are the gate keeper of your home and I am so blessed that you consider me worthy to review this book for you.
Life is too short, time is too precious and there are too many beautiful stories to read books that do not align with your family values.
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Read below to determine if this book is a good fit for you and your reader.
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Age Range: 8+ (8-12 years old)
Read Aloud Age: 6+
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Classics, Realistic Fiction
Themes: Forgiveness, Repentance
Year Published: 1944
Awards: Newberry Honor Book
The Hundred Dresses At a Glance
Description (Spoiler Free)
The “dresses game” was created on a bright blue day. Schoolgirls gathered in a circle, boasting and dreaming of lovely dresses. Wanda, in her faded blue dress, stepped into the circle in an attempt to be accepted she claimed that she had “A hundred of them. All lined up.” From that moment, Peggy and her friends would have “fun with her” until the day Wanda no longer showed up for school.
Brief Content Warnings
The main character (Wanda) lies in an attempt to be accepted. There is bullying. No physical violence. PG word: “dumb” used once and dated language (queer). Mention of a scary neighbor who is said to have shot a man and chews tobacco.
Discussion Topic
Bullying. This is a classic tale of bullying with a gentle lesson to the reader: be courageous, take a stand, and speak up for those who are targeted.
First Line
“TODAY, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence.”
Quotes
“And nobody ever heard her laugh out loud. Sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked smile, but that was all.”
“Nobody knew exactly why Wanda sat in that seat unless it was because she came all the way from Boggins Heights, and her feet were usually caked with dry mud that she picked up coming down the country roads.”
“No more holler Polack. No more ask why funny name. Plenty of funny names in the big city.”
“She had stood by and said nothing, but Wanda had been nice to her anyway.”
“After a long, long time, she reached an important conclusion. She was never going to stand by and say nothing again.”
Content Guide for The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Religious Beliefs
No overtly religious content. The story includes Christian themes of repentance and forgiveness.
Language
One use of the word “dumb.” Noted use of dated language such as “queer.”
Violence
The book includes bullying but does not include physical violence. Negative behaviors such as teasing and lying.
Romance
None.
Political
None.
Other
A brief mention of a scary neighbor who lives on the same side of town as Wanda. He is said to have shot a man and he spits tobacco.
Thoughts on The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Read Aloud Worthy. This book is a must-read for my girls. The author does a great job with character development and there are many lessons about character tucked into the story without the book being overly didactic. Many needed conversations can be derived from this book. I plan to share this book with my girls when they are closer to 8 years old. This was a preread. (I’ll come back and update)
If you enjoyed The Hundred Dresses, then try _____ .
Maybe try “The Cabin Faced West” by Jean Fritz.
Full Summary of The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes with Spoilers
Wanda Petronski is a young girl of Polish descent who comes from a poor background and wears the same faded blue dress every day. One bright blue day at a small school in Connecticut, the girls gather in a circle, admiring and fantasizing about beautiful dresses.
In an attempt to fit in, Wanda quietly joins the circle. She taps Peggy, the most popular girl, on the shoulder and claims she has a hundred dresses. Peggy then starts the “dresses game.” Peggy doesn’t allow a day to pass that she doesn’t tease Wanda about the number of dresses or shoes. Maddie, Peggy’s closest friend, does not join in the teasing but remains silent, standing by and doing nothing.
There is a drawing contest at school and the girls are to draw dresses. Wanda enters 100 beautifully designed dresses and wins. But she no longer comes to school. However, she stops attending school shortly before the winner is announced.
The teacher receives a letter informing the class that Wanda and her family have moved to the city due to constant teasing of Wanda. Both Maddie and Peggy feel bad about their treatment of Wanda. They decide to visit her home, hoping she hasn’t left yet. They write a letter to Wanda hoping the post office will forward it.
A few months later, the teacher receives another letter from Wanda expressing that she misses her old school. In her letter, she wants Peggy and Maddie to each have one of her drawings and that she forgives them.
More Book Reviews Coming Soon!
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– With Great Joy, Katie
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