When the Wind Blew

By Margaret Wise Brown

Pictures by Geoffrey Hayes

Copyright 1937

Margaret Wise Brown is best known for the classic children’s books, Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny.  Her books have pleasant, soothing text and a simple storyline.  The author had extensive education in child development and education and seemed to have an intuitive understanding of a child’s thoughts and feelings. 

When the Wind Blew was her very first book for children.  It is the simple story of an old woman who lived all alone, very happily, by the sea.  She wasn’t lonely though, because of her 17 cats and one little kitten.  Each day, she milked her cow so she and the cats could have fresh milk for breakfast.  She washed all their dishes, put them out to dry, and then went out in the sunshine to watch her cats.  One day, the wind began to blow so hard that the little old lady carried all 17 cats and one kitten inside her little house so they could nap by the fire.  It was then that her tooth began to ache.  The poor old lady had no medicine, no dentist, and no one to help her.  She didn’t even have a hot water bottle.  She curled up in her bed, cold and sad, with the wind tearing through the cracks in her house.  

But then, suddenly, she heard a little purr and felt something soft and warm against her cheek.  It was as warm as a hot water bottle.  What could it be?  It was the little kitten, curled up cozily against her face and purring gently into her ear.  Soon, even though the wind continued to howl, the little house became warmer and the little old lady’s toothache went away.

This lovely story of a contented “cat lady” shows the companionship and healing a pet can bring to a lonely person’s life.