Which 1931 Newbery winner was written by Elizabeth Coatsworth?
Answer
The Cat Who Went to Heaven
The Cat Who Went to Heaven was the 1931 Newbery Medal winner written by Elizabeth Coatsworth.
First published in 1930, the short novel follows a penniless Japanese artist whose housekeeper brings home a calico cat. The artist names her Good Fortune and later receives a commission to paint the Buddha’s death, surrounded by animals who come to pay homage. The cat’s place in that sacred scene becomes the story’s emotional and spiritual center.
Coatsworth drew on Buddhist traditions and Jataka-style tales about the Buddha’s previous lives as animals. Lynd Ward illustrated the original book, which was published by Macmillan and runs to 88 pages in the cited edition.
The year can cause confusion: 1930 is the publication year, while 1931 is the Newbery award year. The other options are also Newbery winners, but from different years: Hitty won in 1930, Thimble Summer in 1939, and Waterless Mountain in 1939.