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I Want 100 Dogs
In this funny, feel-good first-pet book, one aspiring dog owner and her parents ponder—in wildly imaginative and hilarious detail—all the best and worst outcomes of bringing home more dogs than you can (literally) shake a stick at.
A young girl proclaims, "I want 100 dogs." In a twist, her parents agree, but they have just one Where will 100 dogs sleep? Our protagonist revises her request to 90 dogs. But how does one walk 90 dogs? A silly, subtractive counting tale and an over-the-top ode to the joys (and woes) of canine company, this sweet and surprising story proves that no matter how boundless your enthusiasm, when it comes to finding the perfect pet, sometimes less really is more.
Written by bestselling author Stacy McAnulty and illustrated with vintage flair by Claire Keane, this clever and funny picture book will be a new favorite for readers and pet lovers everywhere—whether you have no dogs, one dog, or one dog too many!
PERFECT FIRST-PET Bursting with humor and charm, this is the book for any child who has ever longed for a pet (or ten . . . or twenty) and for families gently establishing realistic pet expectations.
FUN AND FUNNY COUNTING This fun-to-read picture book delivers the extra benefit of being a reverse counting book! Kids will delight in counting down the number of dogs in this clever tale that subtly demonstrates counting by tens. And, yes, you really can count the dogs on each page!
With its sweet, timeless humor and charming, vintage-style illustrations, this pet book makes a wonderful gift for children, teachers, and dog lovers of all ages.
A young girl proclaims, "I want 100 dogs." In a twist, her parents agree, but they have just one Where will 100 dogs sleep? Our protagonist revises her request to 90 dogs. But how does one walk 90 dogs? A silly, subtractive counting tale and an over-the-top ode to the joys (and woes) of canine company, this sweet and surprising story proves that no matter how boundless your enthusiasm, when it comes to finding the perfect pet, sometimes less really is more.
Written by bestselling author Stacy McAnulty and illustrated with vintage flair by Claire Keane, this clever and funny picture book will be a new favorite for readers and pet lovers everywhere—whether you have no dogs, one dog, or one dog too many!
PERFECT FIRST-PET Bursting with humor and charm, this is the book for any child who has ever longed for a pet (or ten . . . or twenty) and for families gently establishing realistic pet expectations.
FUN AND FUNNY COUNTING This fun-to-read picture book delivers the extra benefit of being a reverse counting book! Kids will delight in counting down the number of dogs in this clever tale that subtly demonstrates counting by tens. And, yes, you really can count the dogs on each page!
With its sweet, timeless humor and charming, vintage-style illustrations, this pet book makes a wonderful gift for children, teachers, and dog lovers of all ages.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2023
143 people want to read
About the author
Stacy McAnulty
66 books564 followersStacy McAnulty is a children’s book author, who used to be a mechanical engineer, who’s also qualified to be a paleontologist (NOT REALLY), a correspondent for The Daily Show (why not), and a Green Bay Packer coach (totally!). She is the 2017 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor Recipient for Excellent Ed, illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach. Her other picture books include Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years, illustrated by David Litchfield; Brave and Beautiful, both illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff; Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite, illustrated by Edward Hemingway; and 101 Reasons Why I’m Not Taking a Bath, illustrated by Joy Ang. She’s also authored the chapter book series Goldie Blox, based on the award-winning toys, and The Dino Files. Her debut middle grade novel, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, will publish in 2018. When not writing, Stacy likes to listen to NPR, bake triple-chocolate cupcakes, and eat triple-chocolate cupcakes. Originally from upstate NY, she now lives in Kernersville, NC with her 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 1 husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 25, 2024
Oh my heart! This was a fun, cute read about a girl who pleads for 100 dogs, but when her parents ask her where would 100 dogs sleep… she realized they wouldn’t simply sleep on her bed, they would sleep on her! So she compromises to wanting 90 dogs, but her dad asks how she would walk 90 dogs… and the humor continues to unfold in both word and illustration. Ultimately she may have tricked them into getting a dog and her parents felt accomplished by narrowing the request of 100 dogs to just 1 dog. Too funny!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
While the ending is very cute and a nice twist, the illustrations really did not appeal to me.
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March 14, 2024#lifegoals
November 4, 2025
As an adult, I feel like I need this book to also talk me out of adopting 100 dogs.
April 8, 2024
A super duper cute book!! Dogs! Dreams!
I just had to have this book. I got a dog myself now, but before that I was definitely just like this girl. I want a dog! Well, I don’t think I ever wanted 100 dogs (think of all the chaos), but I could understand the sentiment of having dogs in your life!
In this hilarious book a girl wonders about dogs. And not just 1 or two cuties, oh no, this girl dreams BIG. She wants a 100 dogs. Yes, 100. And we see her fantasize how it is with 100 dogs, but what happens when her parents throw reality at her? Well, then she is fine with 90 dogs. And so we see her dream of x dogs and her parents telling her the reality. Yes, having x dogs is fun, but what are you going to name them? And no, Dog A or Dog 22 is not an option. And who is going to walk all those dogs? Or well, who will the dogs walk if you take that many of them. I had such a laugh and I love how the girl was just not giving up on her dreams. Yes, she was downsizing, but she kept her dreams of having dogs in her life. I loved seeing the girl dream and then the parents bring in the reality check which led to a lot of humour because the girl had this perfect image of how it would go and then cue the parents and see the utter chaos it would actually be.
I loved that the parents never got angry at their daughter or told her to completely give up on her dreams. They just told the reality. The truth. Yes, it seems all fun, but remember, someone got to clean up the dog poo.
The last two pages? Oh man, I loved those two, especially the final page. Clever girl. So clever!
The art was just amazing, be sure to check out the endpapers as well, and if you have a chance get the hardcover because there is also a GORGOUS and FUN cover under there.
All in all, if you are a doglover or a person who would love a dog but cannot get their family/friends/roommates on board, be sure to check out this funny, hilarious, and fun book!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just had to have this book. I got a dog myself now, but before that I was definitely just like this girl. I want a dog! Well, I don’t think I ever wanted 100 dogs (think of all the chaos), but I could understand the sentiment of having dogs in your life!
In this hilarious book a girl wonders about dogs. And not just 1 or two cuties, oh no, this girl dreams BIG. She wants a 100 dogs. Yes, 100. And we see her fantasize how it is with 100 dogs, but what happens when her parents throw reality at her? Well, then she is fine with 90 dogs. And so we see her dream of x dogs and her parents telling her the reality. Yes, having x dogs is fun, but what are you going to name them? And no, Dog A or Dog 22 is not an option. And who is going to walk all those dogs? Or well, who will the dogs walk if you take that many of them. I had such a laugh and I love how the girl was just not giving up on her dreams. Yes, she was downsizing, but she kept her dreams of having dogs in her life. I loved seeing the girl dream and then the parents bring in the reality check which led to a lot of humour because the girl had this perfect image of how it would go and then cue the parents and see the utter chaos it would actually be.
I loved that the parents never got angry at their daughter or told her to completely give up on her dreams. They just told the reality. The truth. Yes, it seems all fun, but remember, someone got to clean up the dog poo.
The last two pages? Oh man, I loved those two, especially the final page. Clever girl. So clever!
The art was just amazing, be sure to check out the endpapers as well, and if you have a chance get the hardcover because there is also a GORGOUS and FUN cover under there.
All in all, if you are a doglover or a person who would love a dog but cannot get their family/friends/roommates on board, be sure to check out this funny, hilarious, and fun book!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
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September 12, 2023I could have written this! My dog loving heart would love 100 dogs, but like the parents in this book, I too have a logical voice reminding me how impractical that would be (my husband).
It's a lot of fun and very sweet and I adore the illustrations! The ending had a bit of a surprise and made me laugh.
Great for storytime and young school age kids.
It's a lot of fun and very sweet and I adore the illustrations! The ending had a bit of a surprise and made me laugh.
Great for storytime and young school age kids.
March 20, 2024
(Housing + Walking + Bathing + Training + Feeding + Vetting + Grooming + Playing + Pottying) x 100 dogs = a nightmare for the parents of a little girl who dreams of having a dog of her own. Illustrations of the child’s dark thought clouds filled with chaotic images would be worrisome to any parent; however, the delightful surprise ending reveals the method to the girl’s “calculated” madness.
March 30, 2024
5 stars. Who doesn’t want 100 dogs? Attentive readers will notice what the girl is doing at each time and then the questions her parents ask her about the dogs. Both parents and kid have their strategies for a fun ending! Wonder how many readers will try to count the dogs on each page, or endpages, or case cover art?
November 4, 2023
so so so cute! for dog lovers or pet lovers, it is the perfect balance between funny and fun. 🫶🏻
November 8, 2023
This one is super cute.
March 30, 2024
Parental psychology at it’s best with a twist at the end!
October 23, 2024
I liked the doggies. The pooping part was so funny! And I like that we have 2 doggies even though she only had 1 doggy because that's okay too. - Lucas
November 8, 2025
What else can I say? I, too, want one hundred dogs.
I also want prints of each of these pages and every dog illustration in this book because they are ADORABLE.
I also want prints of each of these pages and every dog illustration in this book because they are ADORABLE.
December 1, 2023
A young girl tells her parents that she wants 100 dogs. Of course, her parents know this is impossible and ask her questions to determine if having 100 dogs is really a good idea. But maybe, someone in this story has an ulterior motive anyway.
After asking for 100 dogs, she realizes 100 dogs sleeping in her bed is probably not the best way to get a good night’s sleep. So, she asks for 90 dogs. But, how will she walk 90 dogs? Eventually, she works her way down to 10 dogs. That has to be manageable, right? Until her dad reminds her of all the dog poop to clean up in the yard. Then she has a much better request. But, did the parents win this battle or did their daughter get exactly what she wanted all along?
From the silly imagination of numerous dogs in one household to the realistic expectations of caring for that many dogs to the counting by tens lesson, there is a lot to love about the newest book by McAnulty who also dreams of convincing her family to have 100 dogs. Keane’s unique color scheme, hilarious facial expressions, and various dog illustrations make this story a fun one to read.
If your child is asking for a dog for Christmas, this silly book also reminds your child of the huge responsibility of having a dog and all that goes into caring for it. A great gift to give along with a sweet puppy under the tree.
After asking for 100 dogs, she realizes 100 dogs sleeping in her bed is probably not the best way to get a good night’s sleep. So, she asks for 90 dogs. But, how will she walk 90 dogs? Eventually, she works her way down to 10 dogs. That has to be manageable, right? Until her dad reminds her of all the dog poop to clean up in the yard. Then she has a much better request. But, did the parents win this battle or did their daughter get exactly what she wanted all along?
From the silly imagination of numerous dogs in one household to the realistic expectations of caring for that many dogs to the counting by tens lesson, there is a lot to love about the newest book by McAnulty who also dreams of convincing her family to have 100 dogs. Keane’s unique color scheme, hilarious facial expressions, and various dog illustrations make this story a fun one to read.
If your child is asking for a dog for Christmas, this silly book also reminds your child of the huge responsibility of having a dog and all that goes into caring for it. A great gift to give along with a sweet puppy under the tree.
November 21, 2024
Calling all dog lovers! This charming picture book starts out with a young girl telling her parents she wants 100 dogs. Once her parents ask her how she's going to care for all those dogs, she begins to gradually reduce the number she’s asking for. Will she end up with any dogs? You’ll have to read it to find out!
This was a fun read as every time the girl asks for a certain number of dogs, her parents always ask how she will perform a different task for all of them (walk them, feed them, bathe them, etc.) and the illustrations reflect both the girl’s daydreams and the parents’ more realistic point of view. While this would be a good book to read any time, it could also be a way to introduce the responsibilities that come with dog ownership to a small child. The cute twist at the end will make readers of all ages smile and want to go cuddle a dog (or 100.)
Katie E. | Marathon County Public Library
See this book in our catalog.
This was a fun read as every time the girl asks for a certain number of dogs, her parents always ask how she will perform a different task for all of them (walk them, feed them, bathe them, etc.) and the illustrations reflect both the girl’s daydreams and the parents’ more realistic point of view. While this would be a good book to read any time, it could also be a way to introduce the responsibilities that come with dog ownership to a small child. The cute twist at the end will make readers of all ages smile and want to go cuddle a dog (or 100.)
Katie E. | Marathon County Public Library
See this book in our catalog.
July 31, 2025
A little girl tells her parents she wants 100 dogs. They start asking her how she will handle basic responsibilities of caring for so many dogs, and she starts to realize maybe 100 dogs is too many…perhaps 90…or 80…or maybe a few less.
I can totally imagine this conversation between a child and parents. The child at least ponders the questions and realizes the challenges involved in pet care. The book involves counting down by 10s if that is something a child needs to practice. The ending is humorous with the parents shocked one way and the child shocked another way. The art style in this was so unique and brought to life some very funny mental images of caring for numerous dogs all at once.
I can totally imagine this conversation between a child and parents. The child at least ponders the questions and realizes the challenges involved in pet care. The book involves counting down by 10s if that is something a child needs to practice. The ending is humorous with the parents shocked one way and the child shocked another way. The art style in this was so unique and brought to life some very funny mental images of caring for numerous dogs all at once.
November 20, 2023
First sentence: I want 100 dogs.
That sounds fun. But where would 100 dogs sleep?
Premise/plot: A little girl declares she wants 100 dogs, but are her parents receptive to this idea????? As the discussion unfolds, will they be able to reach a compromise????
My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one. I love that they reason through this scenario. It allows for some amusing imagery and illustrations. I love the ending as well. Very cute! The parents say something...and then the child says something. Very satisfying. Yes, I know this is super-super-super vague. But I also think giving it away before you pick up the book is like a movie trailer where ALL the best lines of the movie are revealed--albeit without context. Trust me this one is fun.
That sounds fun. But where would 100 dogs sleep?
Premise/plot: A little girl declares she wants 100 dogs, but are her parents receptive to this idea????? As the discussion unfolds, will they be able to reach a compromise????
My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one. I love that they reason through this scenario. It allows for some amusing imagery and illustrations. I love the ending as well. Very cute! The parents say something...and then the child says something. Very satisfying. Yes, I know this is super-super-super vague. But I also think giving it away before you pick up the book is like a movie trailer where ALL the best lines of the movie are revealed--albeit without context. Trust me this one is fun.
November 15, 2023
"I Want 100 Dogs" is a whimsical story sure to delight young listeners/readers. While the illustrations didn't appeal to me (especially the main character with exaggerated features), I think it could be an engaging story to read aloud. I enjoyed how the story unfolded through"counting down by 10s," while also prompting listeners/readers to predict how the main character would handle each pet-care challenge. An interesting and unique addition to the picture book collection.
Publication Date: 2023
Format: Picture book
Elements: Hand-drawn (almost comic-like) illustrations; varied typefaces; dialogue bubbles
Connection/Topics: Dogs; counting down from 100 by 10s
Publication Date: 2023
Format: Picture book
Elements: Hand-drawn (almost comic-like) illustrations; varied typefaces; dialogue bubbles
Connection/Topics: Dogs; counting down from 100 by 10s
May 20, 2025
Such a cute book. It starts off slow, but I love the different perspectives the book has going on. We see the kids idea of 100 dogs and then the parents. One is ideal and the other is a nightmare. The book count downs by 10. I want 90 dogs.
It's all working down to one dog. I do love the twist ending. I am depressed now and the ending charmed me.
The artwork held a lot of humor. They went in on what 100 dogs would be like. I love the two perspectives the artist has going. The kid is rosy and the parents panel is dim. Well done.
Any kid that enjoys animals and humor will adore this.
It's all working down to one dog. I do love the twist ending. I am depressed now and the ending charmed me.
The artwork held a lot of humor. They went in on what 100 dogs would be like. I love the two perspectives the artist has going. The kid is rosy and the parents panel is dim. Well done.
Any kid that enjoys animals and humor will adore this.
April 26, 2024
I borrowed this book, by Stacy McAnulty, from the library and thought it would be a good read. And I was right. Not only was it a good read about a girl who starts out wanting 100 dogs and ends up with one, but the ending totally took me by surprise and made me laugh out loud. The fun illustrations by Claire Keane added to the hilarity of the story as the girl's parents try to talk her out of 100 dogs by emphasizing the responsibilities. The page on multiple dogs pooing in the yard and the look of horror on the girl's face will have children giggling for sure!
May 14, 2025
Brilliant way to teach a child responsibilities on owning a pet or a 100 plus the hilarious reverse psychology at the end. Bravo! Loved it! I thought the visions from the parents view and child's of so many dogs was cute and realistic. Definitely a way for parents reading to explain how hard it would be and how much money it would cost to feed them. the time involved to bathe, walk, play and take to the vet. What vehicle would be big enough for travel? All good questions and answers to discuss as a family.
August 5, 2025
A little girl chats with her mom and dad about wanting 100 dogs. But as their conversations go on, and they hypothesize and imagine what it would be like to have so many dogs, they widdle the number way down.
This book was adorable for the conversations between the little girl with mom and dad. I could totally imagine these conversations in real life and what fun they would be. I also absolutely love the ending! It was a surprise and a twist and I couldn't help but chuckle!
This book was adorable for the conversations between the little girl with mom and dad. I could totally imagine these conversations in real life and what fun they would be. I also absolutely love the ending! It was a surprise and a twist and I couldn't help but chuckle!
October 1, 2025
We're so proud of you for reading "I Want 100 Dogs"! What a wonderful story. You learned something really special – that loving animals means taking good care of them, not just having lots of them. Sometimes one dog who gets all our love is better than 100 dogs we can't care for properly! You can use this idea with your toys, friends, and even your time. Great job, sweetie! Keep reading and learning. We love you so much!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2023
In McAnulty’s pet friendly title, parents help the protagonist consider all the responsibilities and solutions to where 100, 90, 80, 70 dogs will sleep, and who will walk, bathe, train, groom, feed, and pick up poop in this reverse counting book that brilliantly and simply addresses the many expectations of pet ownership.
November 16, 2023
Listen, 100 dogs is not an appealing concept to me personally. But this book is still very appealing. It's a great counting concept book and a very silly idea in general. The illustrations are warm and colorful and beautiful and humorous. I'm a big fan of Claire Keane and Stacy McAnulty and this is a very fun book from both of them.
January 3, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4. A cute and funny book about negotiation and getting 1 wonderful dog. Because of how small some of the details are in the illustrations I think this would work best as a one-on-one book or with a very small group (maybe up to 15). I think preschoolers and lower elementary would appreciate the humor.
January 5, 2024
Such a cute story about a girl being talked down by her parents from getting 100 dogs by them pointing out all the dogs will need to be taken care of. I wish the pictures were a little more clear and less scattered, but love the story and sentiment. I, too, want 100 dogs...until I start thinking about the practicalities.
February 3, 2024
This is a charming story about a little girl’s ongoing conversation with her parents about how many dogs she wants. Each time her parents ask how she plans on handling certain things and she decreases how many dogs she wants by 10. This has a great math connection with skip counting by 10s, counting, and number sense.
April 5, 2024
The illustrations were cool and unique, and felt very modern. I wasn’t personally a fan of the text bubble format for the text though.
The story was generally good and teaches a good lesson about how much work it is to take care of dogs. I like that it described all of the different ways you have to care for dogs.
The story was generally good and teaches a good lesson about how much work it is to take care of dogs. I like that it described all of the different ways you have to care for dogs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews