Millions of Cats

a. Bibliographic data: Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. New York, New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1928. ISBN 9780698200913.

b. Plot summary:

A older couple living in the hills in a nice little home decided that this lifestyle wasn’t enough for them; they needed a cat. To please the wife, the husband sets out to find just that… but instead comes homes with “Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.” He simply could not pick which cat was the prettiest and therefore chose them all. When this task becomes too great for the elderly couple, they leave it to the cats to decide which of the prettiest cats shall stay. There is an epic battle where the cats eat one another and all that is left is the little scraggly kitten that did not speak up about being pretty. This one stayed with the couple and was nurtured until it became a beautiful cat. 

c. Critical Analysis:

         The characters in this story, an elderly couple living in the hills, portray a simple lifestyle with a simple desire for a cat. When the man is left doing the job for his wife, he ends up with all of the cats because he could not make a decision.

         The slightly morbid scene of the cats eating each other all up can be a bit disturbing, especially for the younger children. The theme to follow, however, is woven through the scraggly cat that appears at the end of the fight. The concept of humility is present in this example but may have to be explained to younger students.

         Through the pages of black and white, simplistic drawings, the story of an old man and an old woman is told through simple language and repetitions. The time period and relativity to students is not very relatable and the age of the characters is not either, but the students deserve to hear stories from a variety of diverse perspectives, including age. The repetitive phrase also allows them a chance to join in the story while it is being read.

d. Reviews:

"This Newbery Honor winner is distinguished by innovative design and a strong storyteller's cadence." -School Library Journal's (One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century)

"A perennial favorite." -The New York Times

Awards/Honors

1929 Newbery Honor Book

Lewis Carroll Shelf Award Book

e. Connections:

I am currently reading this book aloud to my first grade bilingual class. I did not think they would enjoy it as much as they actually are! They have laughed at the extreme number of cats, which led us to talk about exaggeration and place value. This story can also connect with caring for animals as pets in our homes. We discussed the responsibilities, advantages, and disadvantages of having a pet. Although the middle of the book disturbed them, we had a great talk about humility and caring for anyone, no matter their looks, size, shape, etc.

Utilize the rhyme that is present throughout the book to create a song. This would help English language learners learn number sequence, rhyming, and pronunciation.

“Cats here, cats there,

Cats and kittens everywhere.

Hundreds of cats,

Thousands of cats,

Millions and billions and trillions of cats.”