Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. Well, with the Caldecotts out of the way, now it's time to move on to the Newbery awards. Think of them as the Academy Awards for childrens' literature, supposedly for the best of the best of the year, but of dubious credibility nowadays. Last year, I reviewed books that were pretty close together. This year, however, I'm going to have a larger range, starting with one of the first honorees ever named: The Cat who went to Heaven, winner from 1931.
Citation: Coatsworth, E. J. & Ward, L. i. (1930). The cat who went to Heaven. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Plot: One day in ancient Japan, a starving artist's maid brings home a cat. Despite the artist's disapproval over bringing an 'evil' animal home, he lets her stay, and is surprised by her good behavior. Then, one day, a Buddhist temple commissions him to paint a scene from the life of the Buddha, which all of the animals bid the Buddha farewell before he dies. The artist gives his all into painting the portrait, and the cat takes a very keen interest in his work.
Impressions: I liked it, but it's popularity will probably not be that widespread. Most of the story is spent around telling various stories about the Buddha in his previous lives as various animals, and my own research has confirmed that at least some of these stories existed. However, several other important details about Buddhism are forgotten, such as the fact that Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha. In addition, the focus on the stories gets in the way of the main plot. On the other hand, these stories are good, and they focus on a theme of being willing to sacrifice yourself for others, which I think is a good message (but then again, I'm a Christian myself). In addition, if you can get past the inaccuracies, the story of the cat is actually very sad and heartwarming at the same time, although I'm reluctant to give away how. If it's in your library, feel free to check it out. If your library owns this book, I recommend using it to talk about Buddhism, particularly about misconceptions of Buddhism.
Second Opinion: "The Cat who went to Heaven is a simple parable that allows its reader to reflect and reconsider the true meaning of love, compassion, and mercy. It is reminiscent of the Christian story of the woman and her two last coins."
Citation: Buddhism and a cat: The cat who went to Heaven (2012, September 23). Gathering Books. Retrieved from http://gatheringbooks.org/2012/09/23/17220/
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