Book Summary:
A poor Japanese painter requests that his housekeeper purchases food from the local market with his last bit of money. She comes back with a cat instead, that has three dots on its side. The cat is deemed lucky and named Good Fortune. The very next day upon adopting the cat, a local priest comes to the painter's house and requests that he create a large painting of Buddha's final days. The painter is overwhelmed with emotion because of this good fortune and he thinks he has been granted this commission because of the lucky cat. He meditates about Buddha's dying days and the animals that came to bid him farewell. The painter adds each animal to the painting in the days that follow and Good Fortune comes to check his progress. In mythology, the cat did not go to Heaven with Buddha, but the painter, believing Good Fortune is lucky decides to add the cat to the painting. When the priest sees the painting, he proclaims that it must be destroyed since the cat was never allowed to go to Heaven. Good Fortune, seeing herself painted into the painting, dies of happiness. The next day the town is loud with excitement. The painting, intending to be burned, is now the center of attention, as the cat is now mysteriously under the hand of Buddha and not at the end where she had been painted.
This book won the 1931 Newbery Award.
A poor Japanese painter requests that his housekeeper purchases food from the local market with his last bit of money. She comes back with a cat instead, that has three dots on its side. The cat is deemed lucky and named Good Fortune. The very next day upon adopting the cat, a local priest comes to the painter's house and requests that he create a large painting of Buddha's final days. The painter is overwhelmed with emotion because of this good fortune and he thinks he has been granted this commission because of the lucky cat. He meditates about Buddha's dying days and the animals that came to bid him farewell. The painter adds each animal to the painting in the days that follow and Good Fortune comes to check his progress. In mythology, the cat did not go to Heaven with Buddha, but the painter, believing Good Fortune is lucky decides to add the cat to the painting. When the priest sees the painting, he proclaims that it must be destroyed since the cat was never allowed to go to Heaven. Good Fortune, seeing herself painted into the painting, dies of happiness. The next day the town is loud with excitement. The painting, intending to be burned, is now the center of attention, as the cat is now mysteriously under the hand of Buddha and not at the end where she had been painted.
This book won the 1931 Newbery Award.
APA Reference of Book:
Coatsworth, E. (1958). The cat who went to heaven. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Impressions: While this story was intended for younger readers, I feel it has relevance to older readers as well. At first, I thought that it may be considered didactic, but the message of the story is not overwhelming. There is universality in the belief of acceptance from higher beings, regardless of religion or position in life. The steady pacing of the story feels like a folklore tale and it is easy to imagine that this story has been told orally for generations. Those interested in Japanese mythology or even cats in Japanese culture, may find this story interesting. With the prevalence of lucky cats as symbols within Japanese culture, I was surprised to read that the belief was that cats were rebellious and were considered demons. The painter in this story puts aside the societal stigma of cats and is courageous in painting the cat because he feels that it is right. This may also provoke discussion about rights and wrongs in the face of religious or cultural beliefs. I think this is a message on values that could be understood and discussed by children and teens.
Professional Review: "A cat looks on as her master, a poor Japanese artist, works on a painting commissioned by a high priest. The artist must paint all the animals blessed by Buddha except cats, which have been excluded from paradise. Despite the risk, the compassionate artist decides to include a cat in his painting and is rewarded (Books in Print, 2008)"
Books in Print (2008,
July). [Review of the book The cat who went to heaven, by E. Coatsworth]
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Library Uses: A year or so ago, I had taken a webinar on Reader's Advisory and the various requests children and teens may ask. One of the suggestions intended for gifted and talented was recommending classic books, including older Newbery's, to children with advanced reading levels. I think this title is challenging enough for advanced readers, especially in reading comprehension, while also remaining content appropriate for younger readers.
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