69. The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: SOMEWHERE ON EARTH [Ding, ding, ding, ding] Captain! [Snort] The storm bell? But there's not a cloud in the sky! It's not a storm, Captain...it's the moon! I've never seen her drive the tide so wild! What is going on?

Premise/plot: The moon (and subsequently the earth) is in GREAT PERIL. The moon is being eaten by alien rats who have invaded and set up a fortress on the dark side of the moon! First Cat (the hero of this mission AND the hero of this book) has been given a huge mission. He must go to the moon, stop the rats, and save 'the world.' But First Cat (who speaks only in meows) won't be alone...joining First Cat is a stowaway computer (the invention of an evil scientist) and the Moon Queen. The three will have many adventures (along with some misadventures) on their quest. Along the way, First Cat will have a couple of opportunities....to eat pizza....but will he ever actually get to EAT pizza in space????

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved this crazy ride of a book. It was FUN. It was packed with action and adventure. It was funny, zany, whimsical, delightful, hilarious. There were some sequences that had me grinning from ear to ear. I started hearing different voices for all the characters. I'm not sure how often graphic novels are read alouds, but this one could work--especially one on one. I think it has plenty of kid appeal, but, I also think it has appeal to adults (especially adults who can laugh at genres and sub-genres that they love). This one pokes some gentle fun at science fiction AND fantasy. It's imaginative and joyful. If you were looking to book talk this one, you could almost open it up to any scene/section and find something that would "sell" the book.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers