Year 4, week 31: The Hundred and One Dalmatians

This week's book:
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
By Dodie Smith

When the kids and I saw the trailer for the new Cruella movie that is suppose to come out this summer, we decide to read the original novel. When I say we, I mean I decided and then found the audiobook from the library because I thought the kids would get a kick out the story. Also I needed to read a story with a female villain. I loved the Disney classic cartoon from the 1960's when I was a kid. I know I've watched it with the kids a few years back, but they don't remember, so we're watching it again this week. Now you might be asking yourself "Now Emily, don't forget about the live action versions from the 1990's." I don't love either of them, which is a bummer because I love a lot of the actors from it. 

The kids and I listened to the book while mostly in the car and while eating breakfast in the morning. It was a fun read, minis a few mildly sexist comments about the mother dog whose actual name is Mrs. There is also an additional dog mom that has to help feed the puppies because Mrs. doesn't produce enough milk. 

I'm interested to see what they do with the origin story of Cruella. The book explains she was kicked out of school as a girl for drinking ink and that she has drowned all of her cat's kittens, so I'm dying to see how they try to spin that she is just some misunderstood character that should be loved. I mean, she literally steals puppies from their homes to make a fashion line of Dalmatian coats! 

Family reviews:

Mikey: "We listened to it everywhere. I liked it. I really like the whole book 101 Dalmatians."

Lily: "There's 100 Dalmatians in the 101 Dalmatians book. They find another mommy dog that's have brown spots not black spots. There is lady who takes them named Cruella DeVil. She changed her husband's name to DeVil too. The dogs are missing and the mommy dog and the daddy dog go and try to find them. The other mommy dog with the brown spots mommy dog was staying at home. Corolla [sic] was trying to turn their babies into coats into a big coat. I did like the story. I'm excited to watch the cartoon movie."

Rosie: "doogie!!!"