100 books like Wilson the Dalmatian

This novel by Alabama author Harper Lee is one of my favorite novels. Southern racial prejudice is exposed in the coming-of-age story of the young protagonist awakening to its ugliness and hypocrisy.

The mood is Southern Gothic as the childhood fears of Boo Radley turn out to be unfounded. I love how Lee gives us the perspective of the adult narrator while placing us fully in the world of the children. I love the evoking of childhood fears of the supernatural while learning that the world of living people is much more dangerous.

I consider it a novel that is worth reading every few years.

I highly recommend this book. It is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that delves deeply into themes of identity, gaming culture, and social justice. The story follows Kiera Johnson, a high school student who secretly develops a virtual reality game called SLAY, designed to celebrate Black culture.

The writing is exceptionally well-crafted, and the characters are richly developed, making it a gripping read that resonates on multiple levels. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary young adult fiction with a strong, empowering message.

This book left me utterly speechless; words alone cannot capture the depth of my admiration and love for it. As a long-time fan of Stephen King’s work, I had stopped reading his recent novels because I felt they didn't measure up to his earlier masterpieces. However, when my daughter recommended it to me, insisting I would love it, she was absolutely right.

I devoured all 598 pages over a single weekend. The story captivated me from start to finish, rekindling my appreciation for King's unparalleled storytelling. I was especially drawn to the characters Charlie and Radar, the dog, whose journey and relationship added layers of emotion and intrigue to an already gripping narrative. This isn't just a book; it's an experience that will stay with me for a long time. 

This was a book that I loved reading with my daughter. The protagonist, Jess, was magnificently written, capturing the essence of curiosity and bravery. The story begins with a significant move to a new place, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of portraying the complex emotions of a teenage girl leaving behind her old life.

This book was incredibly engaging and easy to get lost in, making it a delightful read for both my daughter and myself.

This was and still remains one of my favourite books of all time.

From the age of about 8, I used to read it every year, and it remained as thrilling every time.

The pink cover and black and white illustrations are perfect. The story is funny, sad, clever, implausible, very exciting, and has some of the best characters in fiction, Cruella de Vil of course being one.

The ingenuity of Pongo and Perdita in saving their, and many many more, puppies is quite brilliant. 

Dodie Smith, who wrote it, was a genius. As well as this timeless classic, she also wrote the wonderful I Capture the Castle.

Listed as a ‘gas lamp’ fantasy, and me being a pre-Victorian/Victorian era London fan, I had to grab this one. It had a fresh twist on the mad scientist’s experiment went wrong, creating a superhero and a supervillain. I found that exciting. I loved how the main character (the hero) struggled to learn his abilities and limitations, all the while not knowing who the villain was or what he was up to. I enjoyed this master class on how to put your main character through the wringer. And the twist ending surprised me. Great stuff. 

I vividly recall reading Farson’s book when I was a budding journalist.

Farson worked for the Chicago Daily News, a newspaper that is gone now, but was pioneer in modern American journalism, not only for its principled reporting but also its talented staff. The Daily News was the first to field a substantial corps of American reporters abroad. (The New York Times only did so much later.)

Farson was everywhere, which did not distinguish him from many other correspondents, but he was legendary for the high quality of his writing. His colleagues said he was a “combination Childe Harold and Captain from Castile.” 

Unhappy with the request that he come back to Chicago to work awhile, he quit and went to Dalmatia to write Way of the Transgressor.  

I was initially drawn to this book because it features a deaf Dalmatian. My dog Reggie is also deaf and likely part Dalmatian, given her white fur and black spots. She was found as a stray puppy and taken to the city animal shelter where we adopted her. We think Reggie is also part American bull terrier. She has a very similar build to that breed, with a barrel chest, pointy ears, and distinctive eye shape. Like the author of the book, I communicate with my deaf dog using hand signals. A deaf dog learns to pay close attention, and Reggie can communicate with amazing nuance. I loved how the book portrays the relationship between a dog and its guardian as a spiritual bond. I found that aspect extremely relatable. 

Not since the monumental work of Jacques Morvan in his Le Soldat Imperial, almost a century ago, has a scholar brought so much learning and insight to the experience of the soldiery of the longest wars in modern European history. Forrest brings his hallmark skills as an archival scholar to the daunting task of reassembling the lives of the men who did the fighting, endured the horrors and the hardships behind the glittering uniforms, and heroic paintings of the battles. He brings the ordinary to life and puts the extraordinary in its proper context of the hardscrabble, but adventurous, lives of the rankers. One for the ages. 

Ah, a Victorian woman feeling restricted, what a shock. Thus, Lady Finchingfield decides to become Mademoiselle Noire, and enthralls Lord Henry. In something of a reaction to the excesses of the Regency period, the Victorian period had more rules than women could keep up with, and this way of addressing—or circumventing them—appealed to me as very creative. The disguise and gentlemen’s club add an aura of suspense so it was a super quick read for me. I love fast-paced books.