The Starlight Barking by Dodie Smith

The Starlight Barking by Dodie Smith

Dodie Smith's The Hundred and One Dalmatians, adapted by Disney, was declared a classic when first published in 1956. The Starlight Barking, Dodie's own long-forgotten sequel, presents a thrilling adventure for Pongo and his family, lavishly illustrated by the same artist team as the first book.

As the story opens, every living creature except dogs is gripped by an enchanted sleep. One of the original Dalmatian puppies, all grown up since the first novel, is now the Prime Minister's mascot. Relying on her spotted parents for guidance, she assumes emergency leadership for the canine population of England. Awaiting advice from Sirius, the Dog Star, dogs of every breed crowd Trafalgar Square to watch the evening skies. The message they receive is a disturbing proposition, one that might forever destroy their status as "man's best friend."

Dorothy Gladys Dodie Smith was born in Lancashire in 1896, and her debut novel, I Capture the Castle (Atlantic-Little, Brown, 1948), was the most successful female dramatist of her generation. Dodie Smith was a British actress who died in 1990.