Binky the Space Cat

It's summer, time to run, to play, and to read light fluff for fun. Perfect season for graphic novels. This is one of my favortie graphic novels from last year (it helps that I'm a cat person) and sure to be a fun summer treat for any beginning reader.


Book: Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires

Vital Stats: Published in 2009 by Kids Can Press, 64 pages, full color throughout
Marketed Toward: Ages 6+
The Quick and the Short of it: Highly recommended for kids from beginning readers to beginning chapter book readers

Book Synopsis
Binky would like to be a space cat, but he's never left his space station (family house). As he plots and trains to go into outer space (outside) he continues to battle the aliens (bugs) that occasionally invade his home. He's finally ready to go, he built his spaceship, packed extra kitty litter, grabbed his stuffed mouse, but he realizes something. Can he really leave his humans behind? They need him to stay and protect from the aliens (bugs).

My Take
Love this book! It's colorful and engaging with a lot of jokes that will appeal to kids. Kids love to laugh by feeling superior so they'll chuckle when Binky labels bugs as aliens and the garden as outer space. It has a good balance of sweet, funny, adventure to appeal to both boys and girls, though I expect that it's appeal tops out at about 9 or 10 years old. I highly recommend this for early elementary school students.

Possible Issues/Christian Connection
I see no issues with this book. It might be worth noting (to some) that Binky lives with two humans a mother and son and no mention is ever made of a father or lack thereof. He simply just lives with those two.

I love the house where you live, O LORD,
the place where your glory dwells. - Psalm 26:8