The Cat Who Went to Heaven
Paperback
AnimalsFairy Tales & FolkloreReligion
ISBN13: 9781025538075
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 78
Weight: 0.27
Height: 0.16 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Cat Who Went to Heaven is a poetic and meditative tale set in ancient Japan. It tells the story of a struggling young artist who is commissioned by a village priest to paint a grand silk scroll depicting the death of the Buddha. As the artist works, he is joined by a small white cat named Good Fortune, who watches with quiet devotion. The narrative weaves together various Buddhist legends as the artist contemplates which animals were present at the Buddha's passing.
Traditionally, cats were excluded from such depictions, leading to a profound moral and spiritual conflict for the artist as he nears the completion of his masterpiece. Elizabeth Coatsworth's Newbery Medal-winning story explores themes of compassion, faith, and the possibility of miracles. This classic work is celebrated for its lyrical prose and its gentle introduction to Eastern philosophy and folklore. Through the eyes of the artist and his loyal companion, readers are invited into a world where art and spirituality intersect, culminating in a touching and transcendent conclusion that remains a staple of children's literature.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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