Millions of Cats - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gag, Wanda. 1928. MILLIONS OF CATS. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam Books. ISBN 0698113632

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this classic tale, complete with charming illustrations, an old man and woman live in a home, but they are lonely.  The wife pines for a cat, so the man sets off on a trek through the rolling hills to find one.  The man finds not only one cat, but "millions and billions and trillions of cats." He finds himself in a quandary, since he only wants one cat, and yet, all of them want to follow him home...

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This classic picture book utilizes two-dimensional drawings, paired with text that fits in around the drawings, to tell the tale of the old couple who find themselves with a few (trillion) more cats than they bargained for. The author utilizes the compounding effect of assonance in the book's key phrase "millions and billions and trillions of cats." The author also highlights the key underlying character trait of a cat; each thinks she is the prettiest cat in the world, even to the point of her own demise.

The illustrations meander wherever they like, sometimes even across the fold and covering two pages. The text, with a cadence all its own and the appearance of looking almost hand-written, fits in around the drawings and builds a great deal of suspense, especially as the man approaches home, with all of the cats in tow. The illustrations are charming, including details such as the man's smoking pipe, the millions of cat faces, the gently rolling hills.  

Personally, I had no recollection whatsoever of having read this book, that is, until I came to the illustration at the end of the story .  The last main page features the couple, seated snugly in their home, the man smoking his pipe, the woman knitting in her rocker, their new addition playing with a ball of yarn, and their wedding portraits on the wall behind. When I came to this page, I realized that I had most definitely seen it before, though I had no memory of the text or story itself.  This is a prime example of the power of strong, memorable illustration!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

1929 Newbery Honor Award Winner

*Positive review from THE NEW YORK TIMES: "A perennial favorite."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Other books that feature animals as a main character:

SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE by William Steig

THE UGLY DUCKLING (Caldecott Honor Book) by Hans Christian Andersen

THE STORY ABOUT PING by Marjorie Flack