The Hundred and One Dalmatians

The Hundred and One Dalmatians is a 1956 British children's novel by Dodie Smith about the kidnapping of a family of Dalmatian puppies. It was originally serialized in Woman's Day as The Great Dog Robbery (alternative title). A sequel, The Starlight Barking, continues from the end of the novel.

Synopsis
When Missis and Pongo's puppies go missing, the two Dalmatian parents know the scary Cruella de Vil has had something to do with it. After all, she adores furs, and the Dalmatians have such beautiful coats... The dogs' pets, Mr and Mrs Dearly, don't understand them, so it is up to Pongo and Missis to rescue their pups.

At a dinner party attended by the Dearly couple, Cruella de Vil expresses her dislike for animals; subsequently, the couple's new Dalmatian puppies disappear. The Dearly dogs are now among 97 puppies who were kidnapped or legally purchased from various owners, with the intention of skinning them for their fur. Through the co-operation of animals and the "Twilight barking", the dogs are found in Suffolk, England, and a rescue ensues.

Adaptations
Walt Disney Company released their animated film based on Smith's book to cinemas on January 25, 1961. It was titled One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Overtime, Disney remade the animated film into a live action movie.

Both the live-action and animated adaptations, Missis was renamed to Perdita while Perdita's original background was removed, there were some characters whom genderbend, and omitted other characters such as Prince, Sir Charles, Tommy, Cruella's cat, and Cruella's husband, Mr. de Vil. The 'owners' last names were changed from Dearly to Radcliffe. Disney kept the book's thieve characters who were hired by Cruella to steal Pongo and Missis' puppies. These thieve's characters names are Saul and Jasper Baddun, in the novel. While in the adaptations, their names were changed to Horace and Jasper Baddun. Disney later created an animated television series, 101 Dalmatians: The Series, starring three of the puppies: Lucky, Rolly and Cadpig, and sequel films for each version (One Hundred and One Dalmatians II and 102 Dalmatians).

Image Gallery
Beautiful illustarions from the children's novel made by Janet Grahame-Johnstone and Anne Grahame-Johnstone.