Millions of Cats [Hardcover]

Wanda Gag (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Wanda G‡g's enchanting tale of the very old man who went off in search of the prettiest cat in the world for his wife and returned instead with millions to choose from has become an American classic, widely recognized as the first modern picture book. First published in 1928, it was a recipient of the 1929 Newbery Honor Book Award and has gone on to sell over a million copies. With its charming illustrations and rhythmic, singsong refrain, Millions of Cats remains as beloved today as it was when it first appeared three-quarters of a century ago.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Millions of Cats is a wonderful tale of vanity versus humility, written and illustrated by the singular Wanda Gag. An old man and his wife decide to get a cat, so the old man goes out in search of the prettiest cat of all. When he is forced to choose from "hundreds, thousands, millions and billions and trillions" of cats, he (naturally) brings them all home. When the wife points out their inability to support the legion of felines, it is left to the cats to decide who among them is the prettiest. Anyone who has ever owned more than a single cat can tell you what happens next.

Gag's simple, appealing black ink drawings are perfect for the story, somehow capturing at least the idea of millions of cats in a single page. Repeated lines and the sing-song title refrain make this a read-aloud natural.(Ages 4 to 8) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"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)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399233156
• ISBN-13: 978-0399233159
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 9.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still irresistable after all these years, November 11, 2002

By 

JLind555 - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Millions of Cats (School & Library Binding)

How many of us remember way back in our early childhood, chanting out loud along with our parents, "Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats..." "Millions of Cats" was one of my favorite books when I was very young, and it was one of the first books I bought for my own son when he was in preschool. It's a perennial favorite about a lonely old couple who decided to get a cat for companionship, and ended up collecting every cat extant for miles around. "Cats here, cats there, cats and kittens everywhere"... When the cats fight tooth and claw to decide who's the prettiest, the sole survivor is a scrawny little kitten who hid from the fray, thinking it couldn't possibly be selected anyway. But a little love can do wonders. The old couple decides that out of "millions and billions and trillions of cats", not one was as pretty as this one. An enchanting classic that will be around as long as there are children and grownups who love a good story.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So many cats! What are we to do?, May 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Millions of Cats (Paperstar) (Paperback)

This small book is about an elderly man and woman who wish to have a pet cat. The old man goes off to find a cat and, when he comes to a land filled with cats, he can't decide which to take. They all follow him home and he and his wife have to decide what to do. This book was a 1929 Newbery Honor book (i.e., runner-up to the Medal winner) for best contribution to American children's literature. Wanda Gág (1893-1946) was a well-known illustrator of children's books and had a great impact on children's literature. This is a classic book and should be on the shelf of every serious student of children literature.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MILLIONS OF CATS, March 12, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Millions of Cats (Paperstar) (Paperback)

Millions of Cats Book Review

Millions of Cats is a funny story by Wanda Ga'g. It is all about an old lady who wants a cat so she sends her husband to get one When he gets
back, he has millions! I liked the part when the cats drink all of the water from the river. When the husband says, "Who is the prettiest?" They all say, "I am". I think that is funny. I liked the pictures too. Find out what cat they get when you read Millions of Cats.