The old children’s book with photographs of kittens and cats is Kittens and Cats: A First Reader, written by Eulalie Osgood Grover and published by Houghton Mifflin in 1911. It turns beginner reading practice into a party hosted by the Queen of the Cats, using short prose, rhyming passages and pictures of costumed cats.
The book was explicitly made as a “First Reader,” with an introduction for teachers. Its original copyright page credits the pictures to the Rotograph Company. A later article suggests Harry Whittier Frees may have taken the photographs, but the book itself does not confirm him as the photographer.
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What is Kittens and Cats: A First Reader?
Kittens and Cats: A First Reader is a 1911 beginning-reading book by Eulalie Osgood Grover. Houghton Mifflin published the edition, and the title page identifies it as “A First Reader.” The copyright page gives the year and author as “Copyright, 1911 by Eulalie Osgood Grover.” An edition record at Open Library and a catalog entry from the Biodiversity Heritage Library independently identify the work and its 1911 publication context.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRather than presenting disconnected phonics drills, Grover gives the short readings a shared setting. The characters are cats preparing for and attending a party held by their queen. That simple frame lets a new reader move from one little episode to the next while meeting a succession of feline personalities.
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The title and its purpose
The subtitle matters. “A First Reader” places the book in the early stage of formal reading instruction, before a child is expected to handle long chapters or difficult vocabulary. The volume also includes an introduction addressed to teachers, so it was designed for guided classroom or home use rather than as a picture book with no instructional purpose.
The title is also a useful identification clue. Listings may shorten it to Kittens and Cats, but the phrase A First Reader distinguishes Grover’s instructional book from unrelated cat-story collections. When searching a library catalog or a bookseller’s listing, include the author’s name and Houghton Mifflin as well as the complete title.
How the cat-party story is arranged
The table of contents names the main stages of the book: “The Queen,” “Granny Gray,” “Getting Ready,” “A Full Cart,” and “The Party.” These headings establish a sequence that a child can follow easily: meet the central figure, encounter another character, watch preparations unfold, see supplies arrive and finally reach the celebration.
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Each section works as a small reading unit. The party gives the pieces continuity, while the individual cats supply variety. A child is not asked to remember a complicated plot; instead, the reader returns to the same social world and recognizes familiar characters and events. The arrangement also gives an adult a natural stopping point after each heading. A lesson can end with “Getting Ready,” for example, and resume later without losing the larger thread.
The contents show how the book balances character, action and payoff. “The Queen” establishes the host, “Granny Gray” adds another personality, and “Getting Ready” turns the premise into a sequence of preparations. “A Full Cart” introduces movement and arrival before “The Party” supplies the expected conclusion. The structure is simple enough for a beginner to retell in order.
Prose and verse together
The book combines brief narrative passages with verse. The prose advances the preparations, while the rhyming sections give the reader repeated sound patterns and a more performative rhythm. That mixture is one reason the book can be read aloud by an adult, a beginning reader, or a group taking turns.
Rhyme can make a page memorable, but the historical format should not be mistaken for a complete modern reading program. The book’s own framing and Open Culture’s description indicate an introductory level; they do not demonstrate how its passages compare with contemporary phonics, decodable-text or vocabulary sequences.
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Why it was called a first reader
Grover’s teacher introduction makes the educational intent explicit: this is a book for children at the beginning of reading, with adults expected to guide the experience. The book itself documents that historical purpose; it does not provide evidence that its method meets current literacy standards.
The reported vocabulary size
Open Culture’s 2021 account describes the book as using a vocabulary of about 600 words and notes rhyme patterns suited to reading aloud. That figure belongs to the article’s description of the historical volume, not to a modern independent vocabulary assessment. It is best understood as a way of characterizing the book’s intended level, not as a guarantee about what a contemporary child will find easy.
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A “600-word vocabulary” also does not mean that every child will encounter exactly 600 distinct words, or that the book teaches those words in a prescribed order. It is a compact description of the language range associated with the volume. Families using the digital text can mark unfamiliar terms and decide whether to explain them, revisit them or simply enjoy the sound and context.
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What the teacher guidance tells us
The presence of teacher directions shows that the readings were meant to be introduced, practiced and discussed with help. The guidance is part of the historical artifact: it reveals how the publisher positioned the book for instruction. It should not be confused with a present-day teaching program supported by controlled studies.
For a modern adult, the introduction is worth reading alongside the stories. It explains the intended relationship between adult and child and helps separate the book’s original classroom purpose from its later life as a piece of illustrated book history. A reader can appreciate the design without adopting every assumption in the old directions.
Who took the photographs?
The most precise answer comes from the original copyright page. It says, in capital letters, “PICTURES COPYRIGHTED BY THE ROTOGRAPH CO.” The named rights holder is therefore the Rotograph Company, not an individual photographer.
The Harry Whittier Frees attribution
Open Culture’s October 18, 2021 article suggests that Harry Whittier Frees may have made the photographs. That is a possibility reported by a later source, not a confirmed credit for every image in this book. Because the title page and copyright page do not name Frees, it would be inaccurate to state that he definitely photographed Kittens and Cats: A First Reader.
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When describing a copy, use the two facts separately: the book credits the Rotograph Company, and Frees is a suggested but unverified attribution. This distinction matters because early commercial picture books often carried a company copyright even when the photographer’s name was omitted.
The wording also explains why a search for “Harry Whittier Frees kittens” can produce suggestive comparisons without settling the question. Similar-looking animal photographs may support a possibility, but resemblance is not a title-page credit. For a catalog description or resale listing, the company credit is the defensible statement; Frees should be identified only as a possible photographer noted by the later article.
What the photographs contribute
The pictures are not merely decoration added after the reading was written. They help establish the book’s premise: cats are presented as participants in a human-like social occasion, with costumes and activities that support the party narrative. A child can use the image on a page to anticipate what the short passage will describe, then check the details while reading.
The photographs also explain why the book remains memorable more than a century later. The combination of real cat images, playful staging and beginner-level text gives the volume a distinctive identity. At the same time, the photographs should be viewed as historical productions from 1911, not as evidence of modern animal-handling or classroom practice.
Images can serve several reading functions at once. They provide a visual cue before a child tackles the words, a prompt for retelling after a passage and a reason to pause over a page that might otherwise be read quickly. Looking closely can reveal which details are stated in the text and which are supplied only by the picture. That comparison is an activity for enjoying this particular artifact, not a claim about how early readers must be taught.
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Reading options: digital copy, reprint or original
The practical choice today is usually between a free digital copy, a commercial reprint or a scarce period copy. The digital edition costs nothing to access and is easiest for checking the complete sequence, but reading on a screen may be less comfortable for a child and image quality depends on the scan and device. A reprint can provide a convenient physical format, yet its publisher may reproduce only the text or may alter the size and contrast of the illustrations. An original 1911 copy has the strongest collectible appeal, but condition, availability and price vary widely.
These options should not be treated as interchangeable. If the goal is to study wording and page order, the Project Gutenberg files are sufficient. If the goal is a gift or read-aloud object, a printed edition may be preferable. If the goal is collecting, verify that the seller is offering an actual period copy rather than a later print-on-demand reproduction. The title alone does not establish which format is being sold.
Where you can read it now
Free digital edition
Project Gutenberg’s digital edition provides the text with image files. Project Gutenberg states that its e-text was prepared from page images supplied by the Internet Archive. The edition is therefore useful for reading the complete work, checking wording, and viewing the illustrations without locating a scarce original volume.
The image version is preferable to a text-only transcription when the photographs are the reason you are seeking the book. It also lets readers confirm the exact headings and inspect the original relationship between a passage and its illustration. Download or print settings can affect how large the images appear, so a device with a larger screen may make comparison easier.
Catalog and library records
The Open Library record links to an Internet Archive item and lists later editions. Those catalog entries document copies and editions; they do not establish that a particular printing is currently in stock from a bookseller.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library record, contributed by the Boston Public Library, is another way to confirm the bibliographic identity of the book and locate library-held material. Catalog records are especially useful when two listings use nearly identical titles or when a seller omits the subtitle.
Looking for a physical copy
If you want a reprint or facsimile, search for the full title and author rather than relying on a shortened phrase such as “old kitten reader.” Check the listing’s publication year, publisher, page images and description. A reprint may reproduce only the text, while a facsimile can preserve the photographs and original layout. Current prices, stock and reproduction quality depend on the individual edition and should be verified before purchase.
Ask whether the listing reproduces all illustrations, whether the pages are scans or newly typeset text, and whether the seller identifies the edition. A low-cost digital or print reproduction may be ideal for casual reading, while a facsimile is more useful for someone studying the visual design. No catalog record by itself guarantees that a modern product has retained the photographs.
How to identify an authentic 1911 edition
A listing can use the historic title while offering a later scan or reprint. These checks help separate the original bibliographic details from a modern reproduction:
- Title page: look for Kittens and Cats: A First Reader, Eulalie Osgood Grover and Houghton Mifflin.
- Date: the historic edition is from 1911.
- Copyright page: the original wording credits the Rotograph Company for the pictures.
- Contents: the sequence includes “The Queen,” “Granny Gray,” “Getting Ready,” “A Full Cart” and “The Party.”
- Images: confirm whether the listing includes the cat photographs, not just a text-only transcription.
- Format: distinguish a scan, a modern reprint and an original period copy; they can look very different and have different collectible value.
If photographs of the title page or copyright page are available, compare them with the digital edition before buying. A listing that gives only a modern cover and a generic description leaves the edition uncertain. Likewise, the presence of the title does not prove that the interior follows the 1911 sequence; later editions may have different reproduction choices.
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What reading it is like for a child today
The language is short and patterned, but the book belongs to the early twentieth century. Spelling, punctuation, social assumptions and classroom language may feel dated. An adult can explain unfamiliar words instead of silently replacing them, since the historical wording is part of what the book preserves.
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The rhyming passages are especially suitable for shared reading. An adult can read one section expressively, then invite a child to echo a line or identify words that sound alike. This uses the book’s audible patterns without claiming that the historical method has been validated by current literacy studies.
Short sessions fit the book’s design. Read one heading, pause to ask what happened, and return later for the next episode. The adult can alternate between modeling a passage and letting the child attempt a familiar line. Because the story is divided into named sections, stopping points are easy to find without breaking a long chapter.
Use the pictures as observation prompts
Before reading a page, ask what the cats appear to be doing and which details suggest a party. Afterward, compare the prediction with the text. This keeps the photographs central and encourages careful looking while preserving the original reading sequence.
Invite the child to point to a detail that the words mention and another detail that appears only in the image. That simple distinction encourages attention to both forms of storytelling. It also prevents the adult from treating the photographs as disposable decoration.
Talk about the book as history
Children may wonder why the cats are dressed or why the pages look different from a current reader. Explain that the book was published in 1911, when publishers used staged animal photographs and different printing conventions. The goal is historical literacy as well as reading practice.
The conversation can include the book’s physical evidence: the Houghton Mifflin imprint, Grover’s name, the Rotograph Company credit and the old-fashioned teacher introduction. Those details show how a book can be both a story for children and a record of publishing practices.
What the book can—and cannot—tell us about reading instruction
The volume can tell us how one publisher presented an introductory reader: short passages, verse, recurring characters, pictures and directions for teachers. It cannot, by itself, establish that a 600-word vocabulary or the book’s rhyme structure produces better reading outcomes than a contemporary curriculum.
Nor does the “First Reader” label tell us exactly how every classroom used the book. The teacher introduction documents intended guidance, while individual teachers and families may have adapted the readings. The surviving pages support claims about design and purpose, not a complete reconstruction of daily instruction.
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That distinction prevents two opposite mistakes. Calling it only a novelty overlooks its explicit instructional design; calling it a proven teaching system goes beyond what the book and the available descriptions document. It is both a genuine historical first reader and a visually unusual children’s book.
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Why the book still attracts attention
Kittens and Cats: A First Reader sits at the intersection of children’s literature, reading instruction and early animal photography. The Queen of the Cats gives the short lessons a memorable narrative spine. The “First Reader” label and teacher introduction show that the publisher expected purposeful instruction. The Rotograph Company credit anchors the images in a specific commercial production, while the unconfirmed Frees attribution explains why the photographer question remains open.
For most readers, the free Project Gutenberg edition is the practical starting point. It lets you inspect the complete text and images, compare the page design with catalog records, and decide whether a physical reprint or period copy is worth seeking. Whatever format you choose, the book is best approached as a 1911 artifact whose charm comes from the way its reading lessons, party story and cat photographs were built to work together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the old book with photographs of kittens and cats that taught children to read?
It is Kittens and Cats: A First Reader by Eulalie Osgood Grover, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1911. The story follows a party hosted by the Queen of the Cats.
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Eulalie Osgood Grover wrote the book. The title page identifies her as the author, and the copyright page dates the work to 1911.
Who took the photographs in the book?
The original copyright page credits the pictures to the Rotograph Company and does not name an individual photographer. Open Culture’s October 18, 2021 article suggests Harry Whittier Frees may have made them, but that attribution is not confirmed by the book.
Was this really a reading textbook?
Yes. The subtitle calls it “A First Reader,” and the volume includes an introduction for teachers. Those features document an instructional purpose, although they do not prove that the historical approach meets current literacy standards.
How many words does the book use?
Open Culture describes it as having a vocabulary of about 600 words. That is a historical description of the book’s intended level, not an independent modern vocabulary assessment or a promise that every child will find it easy.
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Where can I read it for free?
Project Gutenberg provides a digital edition with text and image files at its illustrated edition. The e-text was prepared from page images supplied by the Internet Archive.
Are modern reprints the same as the 1911 book?
Not necessarily. Some reproduce the text only, while a facsimile may preserve the photographs and page layout. Check the edition, publisher, page images and description before buying.
How can I verify a period copy?
Check for the complete title, Grover’s name, the Houghton Mifflin imprint, the 1911 date, the Rotograph Company picture credit and the contents headings “The Queen,” “Granny Gray,” “Getting Ready,” “A Full Cart” and “The Party.”
The Bottom Line
Kittens and Cats: A First Reader is a genuine 1911 instructional book, not just a novelty: Eulalie Osgood Grover linked beginner prose and rhyme to a Queen of the Cats party and illustrated it with photographs credited to the Rotograph Company. Read the free Project Gutenberg scan first, and treat Harry Whittier Frees as a possible—not proven—photographer.
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