Millions of Cats written and illustrated by Wanda Gag. Coward-McCann, Inc. 1928. First issue. Printed in .S.A. By the Jersey City Printing Co. Pages not numbered. 32 pages. oblong 6 3/4" x 9 3/4". Not Ex-Library, Not Facsimile, Not Print on Demand. Cover is discoloered and soiled with heavy wear on the edges particularly on the top and bottom of the spine. Previous owner signed and dated on the illustrated front fly leaf in ball point pen. A number of pages have foxing and some wear on the edges. There is a descrete number stamp on the last page. The pages are flat with no folds or tears. AH15b
An elderly man in search for a companion cat for his wife brings home a selection of - "Cats here, cats there, Cats and kittens everywhere. Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, Millions and billions and trillions of cats..." How to choose which one...Winner of Newbery Honor award in 1929.
Wanda Gag pioneered the double-page spread in this book. Writer and reviewer Anita Silvey explained "She used both pages to move the story forward, putting them together with art that sweeps across the entire page spread: her favorite illustration fell in the center of the book - with the old man carrying cats against the rolling hills."- Anita Silvey, 100 Best Books for Children. This book remains popular with children, parents, and critics alike. In 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up, Kaylee Davis calls the book an "enchanting tale", and says "Gag's charming, folk-art style, simple black-and-white illustrations, lyrical language, and catchy refrain that children will happily repeat with each reading, make this a family favorite. - Wiki.