The Hundred Dresses

The Hundred Dresses is a great book! I think its a book that every little child should read it. Every child at one time or another has been teased other children. If you have ever witnessed it, suffered it, or been a part of it in any way, you will remember how painful it is.

This is a beautifully written story. It deals wonderfully with the dilemmas of childhood both from the teased and the tormentors points of few. It teaches the importance of kindness and compassion for others. It teaches of forgiveness and it teaches that it's important to stand up for what's right even when no one else will.

In the story you meet Wanda, a quite little girl with no friends. Every day she wears the same faded dress to school, which wouldn't be a problem, but she tells the girls in her class that she has a hundred dresses at home. Beautiful dresses made of silk and velvet. The poor girl is tormented and teased and eventually her family moves away to the city.

Another little girl in the story, Maddie stood by and watched Wanda be teased and she feels quite sick about it. The story is told from Maddies point of view. She feels like a coward for not standing up for Wanda. Even after Wanda moves away, Maddie cannot forget, that she was part of the reason Wanda's family moved away.

This is an easy read. It's only 96 pages. I originally read this, because I wanted to do something with it for Young Women's and we may still do something based around this book. It is such a great story of values and morals and is well worth sharing with your child.