The Hundred Dresses: A Newbery Honor Middle Grade Book About Kindness and Acceptance
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Saturday, Jul 25
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 home, but everyone knows she doesn’t. When Wanda is pulled out of school one day, the class feels terrible, and classmate Maddie decides that she is "never going to stand by and say nothing again."A timeless, gentle tale about bullies, bystanders, and having the courage to speak up. Read more
Publisher : Clarion Books
Publication date : September 1, 2004
Edition : Reissue
Language : English
Print length : 96 pages
ISBN-10 : 0152052607
ISBN-13 : 07
Item Weight : 15.2 ounces
Reading age : 7 - 10 years, from customers
Dimensions : 6.5 x 0.5 x 8.38 inches
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
Written in 1944 and winner of a Newbery Honor Medal, The Hundred Dresses has stood the test of time. Inspired by a true story from the author’s childhood, this is the story of three girls in the same class at school. Wanda wears the same old dress to school every single day, but claims to have a closet full of 100 beautiful dresses at home. Peggy and Maddie are best friends; Peggy lets it be known that she doesn’t believe Wanda has those dresses, and Maddie struggles with wanting to go along with Peggy but also wanting to stand up for Wanda. There is so much beauty and insight in this story, leading to so many possibilities of conversations about right and wrong, standing up for others, kindness, and generosity. This is a chapter book, but it's a quick read with illustrations. When I was in the classroom, I used to read Thank You, Mr. Falker on the first day of school, and then I’d start The Hundred Dresses on the second day of school. I’ll be reading it with my older daughter in a few weeks, before she starts school, and I intend to revisit it with her (and eventually with our younger daughter, too) every summer before school starts. It’s just that thought-provoking. Recommended for ages 6-9, but could definitely be used with older audiences.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019 by Children's Lit Love
Format: Paperback
Excellent book. A must read . What a vivid and heart watming experience.
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2026 by Linda
Format: Paperback
This story is about Maddie, a poor girl who happens to be friends with Peggy, the most popular girl in school. Maddie is very insecure because of her poverty. When her friend Peggy begins teasing Wanda, a new girl with a funny last name who always wears the same dress to school, Maddie joins in. She knows it's wrong, but Maddie is too afraid of losing Peggy's friendship and having the girls turn on her. Then one day, the class learns that those hundred dresses Wanda claimed to have were beautiful drawings of dresses. Moved to apologize, Maddie and Peggy find that Wanda has moved away, and they learn from her father's letter to the teacher that it is because his children were being made fun of. Too late to make amends, Maddie regrets deeply her part in making Wanda unhappy, and vows never to stand by again while someone is being picked on. The moral lesson of this story is obvious. What isn't necessarily obvious from my summary is that the story is written in an incredibly moving manner. Maddie's thought processes are revealed to us, and most who are honest will be able to understand her hesitance to speak up. And, we can grieve with her as she realizes that she cannot make amends for her wrong. This is a very powerful and evocative story. I read it to my three oldest children (ages 9, 7, and 5) who were able to grasp the message and to sympathize both with Wanda and Maddie. It's 96 pages, but with large print and many illustrations (which honestly weren't my style), it's a pretty quick read. It could be read in one long sitting, but I chose to spread it out over three days to give me more time to discuss it with my children. I would highly recommend this book for any child. It's a classic that has endured for years because of its quality writing and its timeless message.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2010 by HeatherHH
Format: Paperback
I bought this story for my niece because I love "The Witch Family" by the same author, Eleanor Estes. In the process, I discovered another gem! What a touching tale about acceptance and understanding. A timeless tale that discourages bullying and stereotyping. I think all young girls should read this, so that (1) girls who have been bullied will realize that they are not alone, and (2) girls who are making fun of or bullying others will recognize that they should change their behavior. The illustrations are lovely as well.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2013 by S.L.I.
Format: Paperback
We read this book for our mother/daughter book club and all of us, moms and daughters, enjoyed it a great deal. It gave us lots to talk about in our discussion. It's the story of Wanda, a Polish immigrant. Her name is different, and she doesn't wear pretty dresses like the other girls at school. In fact, she wears the same old dress over and over again. Wanda wants desperately to fit in and to be liked by the rest of the girls. Peggy, a popular, fun-loving girl, enjoys taunting Wanda by not only making fun of her name, but by saying, "How many dresses do you have, Wanda?", and Wanda replies, "I have one hundred dresses hanging in my closet." Peggy, and her friend Maddie, who is more soft-spoken and who has secrets of her own, naturally don't believe her; if she had one hundred dresses, why doesn't she ever wear them? They set out to discover the truth. This is a story that deals with tolerance, accepting differences, as well as discovering things about your own self. It teaches a valuable lesson. Eleanor Estes is one of our favorite authors, as we have read and re-read the Moffats series as well as Ginger Pye and Pinky Pie. While The Hundred Dresses is a different kind of story, the witty and sensitive writing and magnificent storytelling is the same. We highly recommend it.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2011 by from jenna's desk
Format: Hardcover
I got this book for the class but also for myself. I remember the book from elementary school and went hunting for a copy of it. It brings back so many memories. The art is precious, the moral of the story is humbling, as is the story behind the story. Hands down, great book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2025 by Summer
Format: Paperback
As a teacher, I recommend this book to boys and girls alike. I hold it up to the class and tell them I will read a little bit of it to them. As always, the boys say "Yuck!" or cringe. Everyone thinks this is a story about a fashion show judging by its cover. Next, I tell them it's about bullying. Then, they all stop and stare. By the time I finish reading the first chapter, and I tell them we have to go on to the next lesson, ALL of the students are begging me to continue reading! Even the boys! I do have to note, however, that there are some things in it that may need to be explained since it was written so long ago (1940's). For example, I usually have to explain about the significance of the snide remark from a student/narrator made about Wanda having mud on her shoes. She comes from the "poor side of town" where the streets aren't paved and has to walk to school everyday; there isn't a school bus to take her to school. Or explain the reason why Wanda's dress isn't properly ironed (no mother to show her how to do it). But please do NOT let that keep you from purchasing it! It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn about the "culture" of the times! Students are enthralled by learning about those times through these discussions and love to compare and contrast it with their lives! I noticed some reviews said it was boring but parents and teachers might have missed the opportunity to have a wonderful discussion as I mentioned above. Most importantly, we discuss how the importance of Forgiveness is mentioned in the book not just the bullying.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2017 by HockeyMom23
Format: Paperback
I introduced my daughter to this classic for her hundredth day of school!
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2026 by Kari