The Very Kind Rich Lady and Her One Hundred Dogs (Hardcover)

by Chinlun Lee (Author, Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
"Once there was a very kind rich lady who adopted one hundred stray dogs. They all lived together in a tall house on a hill." So begins Chinlun Lee's first ever picture book--a thoroughly charming story based on a woman in Taipei who actually did take in an impossible number of stray dogs. This very kind rich lady loves her charges very much, and we are introduced to them one by one in delightful spreads of delicate colored pencil and watercolor. First we meet Papa, then Mr. Samuel, then Mary, then Fifi and her four pups Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Mo. ("That's eight.") The hundredth one--Bingo--is always late. Children will adore poring over the pages and closely examining each lovingly illustrated pooch--each aptly named, each with his or her own distinct personality. Sooty looks fresh out of the chimney, Lola is a poodle, Yogurt is creamy and smooth looking, Pirate has a natural eye patch, Silk has an ephemeral quality, etc. Every day, the very kind rich lady feeds them, brushes them, plays on the hill, and puts them all to bed. The final spread, "Goodnight, one hundred dogs," shows the woman sleeping contentedly on a bed on the floor, surrounded by her beloved animals from Sheepdog to Sharpei, also serenely snoozing. Sweet simplicity and pure personality combine to make this one of the tail-waggingly best bedtime books we've ever seen. (Ages 2 to 6) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly
In a series of idiosyncratic, journal-style drawings, newcomer Lee creates an engaging portrait of a woman who shares her life with 100 beloved pooches. The first couple of pages enumerate her beloved dogs, pictured on successive pages in growing numbers, with a tone of equally growing disbelief ("There were Ginger, Esme, Henry, Abdul, Molly, Jacket, Tinkle, Biscuit, Toot.... That's sixty-one"). Some come in matched sets: Eeny, Meeny, Miney and Mo; Groucho, Harpo and Chico. Finally, a tiny black puppy straggles in all by himself, carrying a bone, "Bingo, who was always late." (He's carefully hand-labeled in subsequent pictures so readers can locate him without trouble.) The very rich lady grooms and feeds them and "calls them by their hundred names"; she stands alone on a hill, and Lee shows the names coming out of her mouth comic-book style, in a stream-of-consciousness flow (interested readers can check them off, in order of their appearance in earlier spreads). Next, 99 dogs surge toward her like iron filings to a magnet; Bingo, of course, is late. Lee's artwork looks appealingly na‹ve, with pencil scribbles for dog hair and a flat, Egyptian-style perspective; her subtle use of color and texture tell of sophisticated gifts. Remarkable both for its artful understatement and its genuine affection for all 101 of its subjects, this small charmer is not to be missed. Ages 2-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763612901
• ISBN-13: 978-0763612900
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #617,176 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Little Dog Lovers, Everywhere....., July 1, 2001

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Based on a true story, Chinlun Lee has written and illustrated a delightful picture book about a very rich and kind lady who adopted one hundred dogs. They all live together in a tall house on a hill where the lady takes care of all their needs. She brushes them everyday and checks them for fleas, talks to them, fusses over them, feeds them and then calls each by name to come outside and play. There's Papa (he's the first) and Mr Samuel, Mary and Fifi. There's Fifi's puppies, Eeny, Meeny, Miney and Mo (that's eight)...on and on until she finally calls her one hundredth dog, Bingo, who's always late..... Ms Lee's gentle text is beautifully complemented by her simple, joyful watercolor and pencil illustrations. Each dog is carefully drawn to show its individuality and personality and youngsters will enjoy poring over the pages, finding their favorites. Perfect for pre-schoolers as young as two, The Very Kind Rich Lady and her One Hundred Dogs is a charming book that shouldn't be missed.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL!, January 23, 2002

By	Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Most children love cute fluffy puppies and this book has plenty of dogs of all kinds. You will find a very rich, compassionate lady in the book who tends to her dogs, all one hundred of them, with as much tender loving care as one would give to their children. If you are a canine lover, do not be surprised if you actually enjoy the book as much as your children. The illustrations are delightful and each canine friend has a personality which almost comes to life. This is a beautiful book from start to finish and highly recommended. The message also teaches children from a young age how to care for a dog. It is a learning experience on the time, love, medical attention and commitment a canine friend requires to be healthy and happy.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is One of the Best Picture Books of the Year, April 2, 2002

By A Customer

The title sets up the tension right away: how will Chinlun Lee ever be able to capture the personalities of 100 dogs, clearly and thoroughly enough to satisfy the perceptive picture book audience? This book brilliantly rises to the challenge. The caricatures are hilarious, especially the body language, but also the incredibly witty, charming, very real names of each dog. The parentheses (which keep count) establish the voice of the book which is intimate and endearing, as if the narrator is sharing a secret. Chinlun plays with contrast and numbers - sometimes showing a certain group of dogs, sometimes showing the whole bunch as a single, exuberant force, sometimes highlighting just one dog (as in the case of Bingo who is usually last, and Papa who is named first). This is the stuff of which classic picture books are made. Best of all, Chinlun doesn't just TELL us it's possible to love 100 dogs with care and understanding, she SHOWS us in one of the happiest books I've read in a long time. This book perfectly demonstrates boundless quality of love. All one has to do is give name to those animals (people, things) that are loved and suddenly there is room in the heart for every last one. Thank you, Chinlun!!