Millions of Cats

Image Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/621739.Millions_of_Cats?ac=1&from_search=true

Gág, Wanda. 1928. Millions of Cats. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN 9780399233159

PLOT SUMMARY

Once upon a time, a very old woman and a very old man realized they were unhappy because they were lonely.  The woman wanted to get a cat for a pet, so the man went off to find one for her.  After walking for a long, long time, the old man comes upon a hill covered with cats.  Unable to choose just one, the indecisive man decides to choose all the cats and take them all home with him. This decision results in the famous refrain, “hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions of cats.”

When the old man returns home with so many cats, they quickly realize they cannot feed and care for so many cats.  They decide to let the cats themselves decide who is the prettiest and become their pet. In the end, only one little, thin and scraggly kitten is left.  The old man and woman select this kitten to be their pet and lavish all of their attention and care on it.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Written over a century ago, Millions of Cats is the oldest known children’s book still in print today.  This story is most well-known for its refrain “hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions of cats.” The main characters are a very old woman and a very old man who live together in a nice clean cottage.  The couple is never described as being married; a nod to Gág’s own lifestyle choice to live with her partner for years before finally getting married later in life (Gregory, 2014, p. 1). 

When the old woman realizes she is unhappy because she is lonely, she decides that getting a pet cat will cure her loneliness.  Willing to please his companion, the old man quickly goes off to find a cat.  The old man realizes he cannot choose for himself which is the prettiest cat; he thoughtlessly decides to take them all home.  When he returns with millions of cats, the old woman quickly points out the consequences of his careless actions. This story contains a moral lesson regarding responsible pet ownership.

Unable to choose either, the woman decides to let the cats make the decision, which leads to the implied disastrous results for all but one scraggly, thin kitten.  When questioned as to how it survived, the kitten explained that it considered itself a “very homely little cat” survived because it remained quiet.  The little kitten represents the theme of vanity and the potential disastrous consequences it can bring. This story also contains a moral lesson about self-esteem because the kitten did not think it would be considered pretty by the other cats. 

With a background in graphic art, Gág’s artistic talents are evident throughout the story.  Each page contains her stylistic black and white illustrations.  The illustrations are balanced and leave an appropriate amount of white space on each page.  In a handful of scenes, Gág extends the image from one page and carries the rest of the image to the next.  Gág’s brother hand-lettered the distinctive lettering for the book (Gregory, 2014, p. 1).  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

A 1929 Newbery Medal Honor Book

From School Library Journal “One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century”: “Considered by many to have ushered in the age of the modern picture book, This Newbery Honor winner is distinguished by innovative design and a strong storyteller's cadence.” 

From Barnes & Noble Staff: “With love, the kitten becomes the most beautiful cat in the world. This classic is as popular now as it was when it was first published in 1928.”

CONNECTIONS

Collect other Newbery Award and Newbery Honor books to read such as:

Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon.  ISBN 9781616205676

Bell, Cece. El Deafo. ISBN 9781419712173

Collect other Wanda Gág books to read such as

Gone Is Gone: or the Story of a Man Who Wanted to Do Housework. ISBN 9780816642434

The Funny Thing. ISBN 9780816642410

Snippy and Snappy. ISBN 9780816642458

Nothing At All. ISBN 9780816644186

Use in a themed unit about showing care and compassion for one another with other books such as:

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. ISBN 9780670063369

Minarik, Else Holmelund. Little Bear. ISBN 9780064440042

References

Gregory, Alice. "Juicy As a Pear: Wanda Gág's Delectable Books." The New Yorker. June 18, 2017. Accessed January 28, 2018. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/juicy-as-a-pear-wanda-ggs-delectable-books.