Mission Moon

February 6, 2017
First in the CatStronauts series, newcomer Brockington’s graphic novel for the chapter book crowd casts short, fireplug-bodied cats in the place of human astronauts, providing rich opportunities for jokes. Waffles, Major Meowser, Pom Pom, and Blanket are summoned when an energy crisis hits Brockington’s cat-run version of the U.S. and instructed to install a solar power plant on the moon. Humor and suspense compete throughout, and as goofy as the mission is, the pacing and arc of actual moon landings give this version its own preset climax and triumphant conclusion. Capturing the action in playful, mock-heroic, full-color cartoons, Brockington mines space theater for everything from tense drama (“We’re supposed to be the CatStronauts. The best of the best. But we’re acting like a bunch of barn kittens”) to technology (“I can hook up Cat-Stro-Bot to the main computer and use his ear sensor arrays as a backup navigation system”). Even the chapter headings get in on the fun, picturing a can of tuna drifting gently through the darkness of deep space. Available simultaneously: Race to Mars. Ages 6–10. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.

February 15, 2017
A group of adorable astronaut cats must venture to the moon to remediate the Earth's energy crisis. In a world like ours, only populated by anthropomorphic cats, all of felinity is plagued by electrical blackouts, which are quickly becoming more frequent. Their bumbling commander in chief places a quick call to the World's Best Scientist, and before one can say "meow," the CatStronauts are on the case. Blanket, Pom Pom, Waffles, and Mr. Meowser must fly to the moon to construct a solar power plant to help alleviate the looming power catastrophe. Will the lovable feline heroes be able to complete their lunar mission and save the day? Brockington's graphic offering is good, smart fun, with unapologetically charming and playful characters and gentle science lessons. His feline world mirrors ours in a clever and familiar way, exploring real and contemporary issues (like depleting energy stores) through an entertaining and comedic lens. In simultaneous release, the next volume, Race to Mars, examines the space race between the CatStronauts and other cat nations, keeping in stride with the feel-good tone and STEM inclinations established in its predecessor. With its appealing blend of cuteness, substance, and humor, this should have readers over the moon. (Graphic science fiction. 6-10)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 2-5-Major Meowser leads a ragtag crew of feline astronauts (the "CatStronauts") whose goal is to save the planet and earn the coveted position of world's most advanced space program. In Mission Moon, the president of the United States asks the "World's Best Scientist" for help after learning that Earth is experiencing a global energy crisis and is about to go dark for good. After formulating a scheme to cover the moon in solar panels to harvest energy for Earth, the president and the scientist call on the CatStronauts to bring the plan to fruition. In Race to Mars, four competing space initiatives, including the CatStronauts's C.A.T.S.U.P. program, race to make history as the first cats to set paw on Mars. But problems arise when the rushed pace results in unnecessary errors, forcing the felines to act quickly and avoid catastrophe. Despite the weighty nods to historical events (the Cold War space race), potential future manned space missions, and global energy concerns, both volumes manage to remain consistently cheery and humorous. The jokes, which are mostly cat puns or based on cat behaviors, are occasionally repetitive and predictable. However, the inclusion of a female CatStronaut, the engagingly lighthearted drama and positive resolutions, and the expressive characters, who are as adorable as they are adventurous, provide enough variation to more than make up for it. Soft retro pastels, reminiscent of the art of the 1950s, nicely complement the sometimes cluttered, sometimes airy panels and mostly steady line work.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 2-5 Earth is running perilously low on energy, so the world's best scientist proposes a daring solution: a solar power plant on the moon! But who has the moxie to pull off such a scheme? Blanket, Pom Pom, Waffles, and Major Meowserthe CatStronauts, of course. Brockington's off-the-wall kitty sci-fi series packs the full-color panels with cute cats, space travel, and comical high jinks. The feline universe is peppered with jokes, from the name of the CatStronauts' space agency to Waffles' obsession with tuna, and the simplified, rounded shapes of the cats and open panel layouts add to the cartoonish appeal. Tension arises when the CatStronauts encounter some trouble en route to the moon, but with their combined skills (and the help of Blanket's top-secret project), they return to Earth victorious. A second installment, in which the CatStronauts compete with other cat space agencies to reach Mars, will be released simultaneously. Cats and space are perennial favorites, and the combination here is sure to elicit lots of giggles among middle-grade comics fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
The CatStronauts undertake a dangerous mission to install solar panels on the moon in hopes of averting a global energy crisis (Moon), then compete against other countries' astronauts in a space race (Mars). Both times, loyalty and teamwork--and snacks, and a clever robot--save the day. Simple dialogue (in small print), personality-rich illustrations, and plenty of humor make for engaging, unabashedly silly graphic-novel adventures.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)