Review by Booklist Review
A girl announces to her parents that she wants 100 dogs. "Where would 100 dogs sleep?" they counter. She drops her wish to 90 dogs as they go about their day, but, they ask, how would you walk 90 dogs? Or bathe 80 dogs? Or feed 70 dogs? Name 60 dogs? Train 50 dogs? Slowly the negotiation dwindles down to one dog, which they pick out at a shelter. And the girl chuckles to herself that she successfully talked her parents into getting a dog. Thought and speech bubbles are used to express the majority of the story, as the hippie parents and their wild-haired child take turns imagining different dog scenarios while running errands around San Francisco. Keane's illustrations, as usual, display her animation training with their mix of steady action and Disney softness (in this case mostly a muted palate of purple and orange pastels with watercolor bleed). The creators clearly have great affection for fur babies, and everything down to the end papers is a celebration of canine personalities for dog-loving readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The titular announcement--"I want 100 dogs"--is made by a curly headed, gap-toothed child to their two adults while the three gaze up at clouds that resemble canines. In the following pages, the child conjures up idyllic visions of this arrangement, while the adults manage to both acknowledge the youth's desire and counter with gentle pragmatism: "That sounds fun. But where would 100 dogs sleep?" The child continues the "I want" statements (obligingly decreasing the number of dogs by 10 on each spread), which are accompanied by dual visualizations of each scenario. From the child's perspective, bathing looks like a large swimming pool filled with 80 canines; from an adult's, it's a tiny backyard kiddie pool filled to bursting. Watercolor-and-ink-style digital illustrations from Keane (Make Way) have a lovely, fluid quality and are a hoot to boot, imbuing each wished-for dog with a vivid personality. The battle of wills is further underscored by astute dialogue from McAnulty (The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl), and the final scenes show a happy resolution for all concerned, one that seems to imply the presence of a successful long con. Human characters are portrayed with pink skin. Ages 3--5. Author's agent: Lori Kilkelly, LK Literary. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A curly-haired preschooler with light skin yearns for 100 dogs, while her practical parents talk her through the many ways dogs must be taken care of to temper her aspirations. "Where would 100 dogs sleep?" one asks as readers see a bed overflowingwith dogs. "Okay, then I want 90 dogs." In a reverse counting book, McAnulty brings humor as well as truth to how dogs must be taken care of--from feeding to grooming to training. Keane's illustrations boost the humor in this first-pet tale with telling expressions on the child's and parents' faces. Although there's no shortage of picture books about dogs for the toddler and preschool set, this one's sure to work well as a read-aloud and can also work as a fun supplement to kindergarten math units on counting by 10. VERDICT Recommended for public library collections in need of more humorous dog books and school libraries that could use counting concept books for the youngest students.--Carrie Voliva
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Review by Horn Book Review
When a young girl says she'd like one hundred dogs, her dad logically asks where they would all sleep. The following spread shows her vision (dogs tucked comfortably into bed next to her) alongside her parents' vision (dogs sleeping uncomfortably on top of her). Convinced, the girl agrees to ninety dogs. "But how would you walk 90 dogs?" Again, two very different pictures are conjured -- one where the girl holds many leashes while sitting jauntily atop the largest dog and one where the dogs drag her along at top speed. McAnulty (Excellent Ed, rev. 5/16) continues the pattern as each time ten fewer dogs are involved. Keane's (illustrator of Make Way, rev. 3/23) loose lines and lively compositions show the opposing viewpoints in comedic scenes of dog bliss (dogs bathing in a large swimming pool) versus dog chaos (dogs piled up in the girl's wading pool). All the bases are covered -- feeding, naming, training, vet visiting, grooming, and playing. Down to ten dogs and it's finally time to address a different number -- the number two. There's no pretty picture here, as all involved imagine the same stinky scenario. "I think I'd like 1 dog. Please," the girl says, and one she gets. The humor continues on the final spread, as Dad says to Mom, "I can't believe we talked her out of 100 dogs," while the girl, tucked in bed with her happy pup, says, "I can't believe I talked them into getting 1 dog." It's winner takes all here -- or maybe just one. Jennifer M. BrabanderNovember/December 2023 p.62 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A girl uses cunning to get exactly what she wants. "I want 100 dogs," the child muses. Her nonplussed parents raise a practical question: "Where would 100 dogs sleep?" Their daughter has a ready answer: "My 100 dogs will sleep on my bed." Parents: "More likely, 100 dogs would sleep on you." Reconsidering, the girl asks for 90 dogs. But how will she walk them? After all, 90 dogs would walk her. And so it goes, with the child subsequently decreasing her request by 10 each time and her parents asking realistic questions about that quantity, listening to her responses, then explaining why her plans still won't work. Examples: 70 dogs need lots of food; grooming 30 dogs would be very messy; and--unhappiest prospect--guess who'd clean up after 10 dogs "go number 2"? Finally, the child "settles" for just one and chooses a floppy-eared pooch at a shelter. Her parents can't believe they talked her out of 100 dogs; the girl can't believe she talked her parents into getting one--clearly, her plan all along. This is a humorous, imaginative tale with a comically ironic ending; the child-parent relationship is close, warm, and playful. There's good counting-backward-by-10s practice here, too. The digital illustrations are funny, with each parental question and the girl's responses vividly, dynamically portrayed. The gap-toothed daughter and both parents are tan-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Bow-WOW! Who needs 100 dogs when just one cuddly, fluffy, perfect pup will do? (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
