The Hundred Dresses facts for kids
Cover with original design (post-1970, with "Newbery Honor" seal)
|
|
| Author | Eleanor Estes |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Louis Slobodkin |
| Cover artist | Slobodkin |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's literature, realistic fiction |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace |
|
Publication date
|
October 1944 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 80 |
| ISBN | 9780153329753 |
| OCLC | 906047056 |
The Hundred Dresses is a classic children's book written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin. It was first published in 1944. The story is about a young girl named Wanda Petronski. She is a Polish-American student who moves to a school in Connecticut, United States. At her new school, other children see her as different and often make fun of her.
Contents
What is The Hundred Dresses About?
The book focuses on Wanda Petronski, a girl who is not rich and doesn't have many friends. She is from a Polish-American family. Her teacher, while seeming kind, places Wanda in the least desirable seat in the classroom. The teacher also does not stop other students from teasing Wanda.
Why Do Students Tease Wanda?
One day, Wanda's classmates laugh at her last name, which sounds funny to them. They also tease her about the same faded blue dress she wears to school every day. To cope with this, Wanda claims she owns one hundred dresses. She says they are all lined up in her closet at her old, worn-down house.
How Does the Teasing Continue?
This claim, which is clearly not true, turns into a cruel game. A group of girls, led by Maddie and Peggy, start to mock Wanda every day before school. They corner her and demand that she describe all of her one hundred dresses to them. This constant teasing makes Wanda and her family very sad.
Why Does Wanda's Family Move Away?
Wanda's father, Jan Petronski, eventually reveals that his family must leave town. They are moving because of the constant unfair treatment they face. This news makes some of the students feel bad about how they treated Wanda.
What Happens in the Drawing Contest?
The teacher holds a drawing contest for the girls in the class. The students are asked to draw dresses that they design themselves. Wanda enters the contest and submits one hundred beautiful drawings. Each drawing is a unique and lovely dress design.
How Do Students React to Wanda's Drawings?
Her classmates are amazed by Wanda's incredible talent. They realize that these drawings were her "one hundred dresses." The students who had teased her feel very sorry for what they did. They want to let Wanda know how much they regret their actions.
Do Wanda's Classmates Apologize?
The students decide to write Wanda a kind letter. They send it to her old address, hoping the post office can forward it to her new home. Unfortunately, Wanda has already moved away and does not receive the letter. She never finds out that she won the contest.
How Does Wanda Show Her Kindness?
Even though she was treated badly, Wanda's kind and generous nature is shown later. She sends a message to the teacher, telling her to give the beautiful drawings to the students. This act shows her forgiving spirit and big heart.
