40. Space Cat

Space Cat. Ruthven Todd. Illustrated by Paul Galdone. 1952. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The little gray kitten had always been the most adventurous member of his family. He had been the first to explore the roof of the apartment building where he lived with his brothers and sisters. There he had sat for hours admiring the face of the Cat in the Moon until his mother had dragged him in by the scruff of his neck. The next day he had managed to maroon himself on top of the flagpole on the roof and the Fire Department had had to be called to take him down.

Premise/plot: When a [cute, adorable, super-curious] gray kitten befriends Captain Fred Stone, he gets a new name, "Flyball," a new home, and new adventures. Flyball accompanies his human to the moon and back. Their adventure on the moon isn't without some peril--good thing Flyball is there to save the day. 

My thoughts: This charming little book was written in 1952. It is always interesting/intriguing to see how the public [writers, readers] imagined space exploration to be like. This one was written, published, and enjoyed long before NASA sent anyone to the moon--or even into orbit. This qualifies both as science fiction and fantasy. It is told through the perspective of the cat. There are plenty of men [military men] talking rockets, rockets, and more rockets. 

I enjoyed this one. The illustrations are wonderful.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers