“Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.” That is the refrain from the classic children’s story, Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág.
THE AUTHOR
Gág was an American author, illustrator, translator and Millions of Cats was her first and is her best-known children’s book. Done in black and white in, according to Elizabeth Haidle in the book Before They Were Artists, her “
wiggly dreamscape style.” You can find
Before They Were Artists here on Amazon.
Gág used her own cats as models for the “hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats” in the book. Considered groundbreaking; it was the first picture book to feature images flowing across two pages. It also featured text that was handwritten by Gág's brother as Gág preferred this more natural look.
THE REVIEWS
The book was published in 1928 and was very popular in its day with critics and readers alike. It sold well despite the Great Depression, earning a Newbery Honor in 1929. The book is still published, is said to be the oldest picture book still in print and is still popular with readers despite the controversial but happy ending.
SPOILERS
Please note that this book review contains spoilers. Reading farther will educate you but, at the same time, could compromise your enjoyment of this book.
THE STORY
The story is that of an old woman and an old man who live happily in a cute little cottage surrounded by flowers. Despite being so lucky, they are lonely and the woman asks for a cat. The man sets out to find a cat, a “
sweet little fluffy cat” but is so taken with all of the cats that he finds that he brings home “
hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.” The woman despairs at having to feed them all and in order to pick just one, they ask the cats, “
Which one of you is prettiest?” The result? A cat fight of major proportions mentioned but not depicted in the book. After the cat quarrel, there remains a single, solitary “
thin and scraggly” kitten who the couple adopts. In a concerning but happy ending, the ugly kitten wins.
THE CONTROVERSY
Is the book disturbing? What happens to the “
hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats” after they "
bit and scratched and clawed each other" is not explicitly stated when they argue over who is the prettiest. All but one of them are simply gone when the noise subsides and the old woman surmises that they have “
eaten each other all up.”
On
Goodreads, one reader and reviewer says that the book has a wicked sense of humor and that the end is a bit of a joke acknowledging that people today don’t like jokes at the expense of animals. Remember that this book was written in 1928, which was a very different time. The roaring 20s was a time of prosperity and excess.
That same reader also discussed the response of her children saying that they were surprised by the ending. When the cats started to fight, their eyes became really big and her little boy asked, "What's going to happen?" She went on to day that, "her children's heart strings were tugged upon when the answer came and her little guy gave a short 'Ha' at the conclusion.”
Another reader says, “You can have too much of a good thing, but is it possible to have too many cats?” and finishes by saying it is up to you to draw a moral from this story.
Yet another reader says, it is an “entirely unexpected tale with a dark twist, like traditional fairy tales from the days when children were introduced to terrifying life lessons as well as moral goodness through fantastical animal stories, and social-political messages were hidden in nursery rhymes." She continues by saying, "It is also a charming story, highly original, with a happy ending.”
Finally, a reader says, that the cats in this book are, as cats can be, “destructive, vain and (possibly) cannibalistic." She continues by saying that she "can see how other people might find that disturbing but that it rings true to her, as a cat-lover.”
You can take this book as a simple picture book or, as some believe, as a book with a much bigger message driven by Gag’s political leanings.
Public Domain Reviews, writes that this book "
tells a very disturbing story about the barrenness of bourgeois living, greed, competition, environmental degradation and senseless violence."
BUY MILLIONS OF CATS
You can buy a nice, shiny new version of this book for the children in your life on Amazon by
clicking right here. It is available in various formats including hardcover, paperback, Kindle and audiobook but it looks like the later two do not feature Gag's artwork. If it matters to you as it does to me, make sure you are buying an original version of the book. It entered the public domain in 2024 and therefore, there are now numerous versions of the story available not all of which feature Wanda Gag's illustrations.
SUMMARY
Have you read this story? What do you think of it and, in particular, the ending? Would you read it to your children? Your grandchildren? I would carefully consider doing so, having read it myself and having a good feeling for what disturbs my children and/or grandchildren. As an adult with memories of this book? I would definitely add it to my collection.
Stay tuned for more about Wanda Gag and her books in another post.
See you
at the book store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda
QUICK LINKS:
Juicy As a Pear: Wanda Gág’s Delectable Books
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
