I loved the stage of reading classic books to my sons when they were young, and am thoroughly enjoying having a six-year-old friend, who also enjoys having books read aloud to her. We've tried various options, after finishing the 'Sophie' series at the end of last year, but none of them held her interest until I started on this classic book by Dodie Smith.
I last read 'The 101 dalmations' (to myself) in 2005. That's long ago enough that I had forgotten most of the detail of the story, while of course remembering the general plot. As I read, I found that it came back to me (I read it many times as a child) but I was surprised that, once again, I found several sections extremely moving.
The story is probably well-known, if a little distorted by the film versions that have been made. Pongo and his wife Missis live very happily with Mr and Mrs Dearly, and produce a litter of fifteen puppies. They are too many for Missis to handle alone, and they manage to find another dog who still has milk - they call her Perdita - who is able to help. Then, one terrible day, the puppies all vanish, and nobody knows where they have gone.
Pongo is an intelligent dog, and (unknown to humans) dogs communicate all over the country via the 'Twilight Barking' - a kind of canine Twitter. Through this, they learn that their puppies are in an old house in Suffolk. So Pongo and Missus set out on the long journey from London, aided by other dogs along the way, until they discover just how many puppies have been dognapped...
The characterisation of the dogs is extremely well done, to the extent that I could almost believe their adventures to be possible if dogs could indeed communicate so effectively and understand human speech so well. The adventures are exciting - my small friend found some of them a bit scary - but, as with all good children's books, the ending is uplifting and encouraging. I enjoyed reading it aloud (over a few weeks) very much.
For reading to oneself, it's probably appropriate for anyone of about seven or eight and upwards, depending on fluency. As a read-aloud it's ideal for any child who is happy to listen to chapter books with some cliff-hangers.
Definitely recommended.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 22nd March 2012
I came across the author Dodie Smith as a child. I read - several times - her classic 'The 101 Dalmations' and its lesser-known (but equally delightful) sequel 'The Starlight Barking'.
However, I had no idea until recently that she had written any other books. A few years ago we acquired the DVD of 'I Capture the Castle', which we watched as a family. We thought it a little odd, rather gothic, somewhat confusing, but - on the whole - enjoyable.
A few weeks ago I borrowed the novel from a friend, as I hadn't ever read it. I saw the film long enough ago that I'd pretty much forgotten it - other than the final part when the father is tricked into doing something he has been putting off.
The whole book is written in journal format by Cassandra, a 17-year-old who lives in a rather draughty castle. She has a light style and a way with words, and we meet the rest of her family through what she says about them. She's particularly fond of her romantic older sister Rose, with whom she shares a room and many secrets. She's often frustrated by their father, who had one book published, some years ago, but now suffers permanent writers' block.
Since the book was written in the 1950s, the entire family fortunes rest on the father's income - or lack of it. Gradually the items in the castle have been sold, leaving them, as the book opens, pretty much on the poverty line. Their stepmother Topaz is a delightful, if somewhat eccentric presence in the household; their brother Thomas rather shadowy at first, but comes into his own later on. And then there's and a young man called Stephen who works for them, but has become almost like another son... and is in love with Cassandra.
Two young men from America arrive on the scene, and play havoc, one way or another, with everyone's emotions. I was reminded, briefly, of the confused tangle in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. There's some slightly surreal humour in the book, and some caricatured class consciousness, all viewed from Cassandra's perspective. It seems dated in some ways, and at first I struggled to find it interesting; but as the book progressed, I found myself drawn more and more into the story.
This was originally written as teenage fiction, and is still published as such; but I suspect it's probably read more, these days, by women with their own teenagers or adult children.
Still in print, both sides of the Atlantic. Recommended.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 21st October 2010
Yes, another children's book. Sometimes I need one just to relax and unwind, and I hadn't read 'The hundred and one dalmatians' for many years. According to the front, I bought this paperback when I was ten, so I'm surprised it's in such good condition! I had no idea until I was older that the author, Dodie Smith, had written books for adults too.
It's a classic, of course, and the plot well-known due to the Disney version. Two dalmatians go to rescue their stolen puppies, and find rather more than they were expecting. However Disney took some liberties, one of which was to call the adult dalmatians Pongo and Perdita. In the book, Pongo's wife is called Missus, and Perdita is a stray dog who fosters some of their puppies, having lost her own.
As far as I remember, the animated film is otherwise reasonably true to the plot, with the evil Cruella de Vil as one of the wickedest villains in fiction. But it doesn't have the gentle satire and unexpected one-liner jokes that the book contains - and which I probably didn't apprecate at all when I was ten. The opening paragraph describes Pongo and Missus' relationship with their 'pets' Mr and Mrs Dearly, and makes it quite clear that dogs are the owners, and far more intelligent than humans.
It's only a short book - about 200 pages - and I read it in a couple of hours. I found it unexpectedly moving in several places, as well as enjoying the gentle humour of others.
I'm not sure who would enjoy it these days. Ten-year-olds are far less innocent than I was at that age, and those who read fluently would probably find it boring, particularly if they've seen the Disney film. However it would make a wonderful read-aloud book for a younger child, as it's the kind of book which isn't condescending at all - and the humour would appeal to many parents.
I would hope too that there are a few remaining more sensitive children of about 8-10 who might enjoy this for what it is. Boys as well as girls.
(You can also read my slightly longer review of The 101 Dalmatians, written in 2012 after reading it aloud to a six-year-old friend)
