Jon and Mac consider: a breakthrough in book design, rivers of cat blood, children's stories about old people who love each other, and whether Wanda Gág invented the picture book.
Great conversation, love to learn what you two see when you look at these books. I wonder about the clouds as well. Special care seems to be put into making sure they have their place on the page. It also makes me think of the tiny house on top of a rolling hill, that's also a recurring scene in picture books. Her line work all over is really great, for sure an influence on Crumb and the like.
I just went down a Wanda Gág rabbit hole, and it was so much fun! It would be interesting to get some production insights about this book as well—I think it might have been impossible (or near) to typeset the text around the illustrations (?) when this was published, hence hand-lettering, and while there was four color separation in the early twentieth century, it was probably something that kiddie publishers wouldn’t spring for.
This is my favorite newsletter. I look forward to seeing it pop up in my inbox, and then I think about what I learned all week…and talk at my family about what I learned. All week. Thanks again, for the excellent content.
These posts are just gold! I loved the observation that a more exploitative version of this story would have made more of the scraggly kitten's personality earlier, to gain our sympathy. It seems to me that would often be the choice with contemporary picture books, to give the child reader someone to "relate to" and cheer on. Something to be said for less useful, more fable-like stories.
Tried to order the poster, but the shipping to Canada was prohibitively expensive. So, instead, I'm going to make my 9 year old draw me a copy of it. Or maybe I'll have them draw the cat fight page instead (whether or not they would like to add rivers of cat blood is up to them).
1920s illustrations! I wonder if she was inspired by E. H. Shepard's 1926 illustrations of Winnie-the-Pooh--a runaway bestseller in both the UK and the US. Shepard and Milne carefully designed the page layouts to incorporate the illustrations as part of the story, including full spread illustrations (though they didn't work exactly like Gag's since it was a novel, not a picture book text). I think part of it, definitely for Shepard and probably for Gag as well, was new printing press technology that allowed them to put images on the same page as text. But it definitely took a few years for illustrators to figure out how to use that new freedom.
I've read this book millions .... of times (no, not really) but I don't recollect having the idea that the cats ate each other. It seems I remember them just going away.
I guess that says something about me and my ability to compartmentalize or not believe cats would do such a thing, and yet still be willing to accept the fact that yeah, sure this man not only encountered millions of cats but then brought them home!
I loved reading all of this. It's so interesting that, even though Millions of Cats is considered the first Picture Book, Wanda Gág knew to employ things we see as essential to Picture Books today. The layouts, the spreads, the page turn. It's all there. Brilliant.
And now I must go and get a tattoo of that final illustration.
Cannot help but imagine Wanda chuckling at the way husbands (or perhaps some of Wanda's bohemian lovers?) have tried to solve the problems of their beloveds.
I recently visited the Wanda Gag House in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is a magical place to visit for a picture book creator. They display not only her books, but many of her sketches from as young as sixteen. Her artistic family’s history was truly inspiring. The docents talked about many of the design aspects that you mentioned here. But they didn’t mention cat blood. Thanks for the in-depth discussion and the funny insights into this classic book. Here’s a link to a short recap of my visit to charming town of New Ulm and her house. https://substack.com/@dorothiar/note/p-175307888?r=1wlb35&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-actio
“RIP that one cat with the pupils.” I just spat my coffee out 😂
Great conversation, love to learn what you two see when you look at these books. I wonder about the clouds as well. Special care seems to be put into making sure they have their place on the page. It also makes me think of the tiny house on top of a rolling hill, that's also a recurring scene in picture books. Her line work all over is really great, for sure an influence on Crumb and the like.
I’m glad you chatted about the cat fight - it’s my very favorite picture book pitch to imagine.
“A picture book for kids! Hm. What a novel concept! And kids love cats! What happens next?”
“All the millions of cats kill and eat each other.”
“… Fire up the printers boys we’re gonna be rich.”
I just went down a Wanda Gág rabbit hole, and it was so much fun! It would be interesting to get some production insights about this book as well—I think it might have been impossible (or near) to typeset the text around the illustrations (?) when this was published, hence hand-lettering, and while there was four color separation in the early twentieth century, it was probably something that kiddie publishers wouldn’t spring for.
Boy. I’ve been looking at picture books for 35 years, but y’all have been LEARNING me these past few posts. Thank you!
I love Make Way for Ducklings. Just sayin'.
This is my favorite newsletter. I look forward to seeing it pop up in my inbox, and then I think about what I learned all week…and talk at my family about what I learned. All week. Thanks again, for the excellent content.
These posts are just gold! I loved the observation that a more exploitative version of this story would have made more of the scraggly kitten's personality earlier, to gain our sympathy. It seems to me that would often be the choice with contemporary picture books, to give the child reader someone to "relate to" and cheer on. Something to be said for less useful, more fable-like stories.
Tried to order the poster, but the shipping to Canada was prohibitively expensive. So, instead, I'm going to make my 9 year old draw me a copy of it. Or maybe I'll have them draw the cat fight page instead (whether or not they would like to add rivers of cat blood is up to them).
1920s illustrations! I wonder if she was inspired by E. H. Shepard's 1926 illustrations of Winnie-the-Pooh--a runaway bestseller in both the UK and the US. Shepard and Milne carefully designed the page layouts to incorporate the illustrations as part of the story, including full spread illustrations (though they didn't work exactly like Gag's since it was a novel, not a picture book text). I think part of it, definitely for Shepard and probably for Gag as well, was new printing press technology that allowed them to put images on the same page as text. But it definitely took a few years for illustrators to figure out how to use that new freedom.
Your insights are brilliant - and fun!
I've read this book millions .... of times (no, not really) but I don't recollect having the idea that the cats ate each other. It seems I remember them just going away.
I guess that says something about me and my ability to compartmentalize or not believe cats would do such a thing, and yet still be willing to accept the fact that yeah, sure this man not only encountered millions of cats but then brought them home!
Thanks for this fabulous newsletter!
I loved reading all of this. It's so interesting that, even though Millions of Cats is considered the first Picture Book, Wanda Gág knew to employ things we see as essential to Picture Books today. The layouts, the spreads, the page turn. It's all there. Brilliant.
And now I must go and get a tattoo of that final illustration.
I love that this story follows the stereotypical tropes of cats...the old cat lady, a cat fight, the scaredy cat.
What an absolutely lovely story! Such an incredible ending to reveal the true narrative with such a silently descriptive visual.
Wonderful, thank you!
I’m curious to know if the book’s original publisher had challenges printing the two-page spreads, since they were so innovative. Any insight?
Cannot help but imagine Wanda chuckling at the way husbands (or perhaps some of Wanda's bohemian lovers?) have tried to solve the problems of their beloveds.
"I'm a bit lonely. But not always sad."
"Good news: I got you a trillion cats."
I recently visited the Wanda Gag House in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is a magical place to visit for a picture book creator. They display not only her books, but many of her sketches from as young as sixteen. Her artistic family’s history was truly inspiring. The docents talked about many of the design aspects that you mentioned here. But they didn’t mention cat blood. Thanks for the in-depth discussion and the funny insights into this classic book. Here’s a link to a short recap of my visit to charming town of New Ulm and her house. https://substack.com/@dorothiar/note/p-175307888?r=1wlb35&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-actio
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