SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

August 21, 2009 by Travis Jonker

Book Review: Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires

August 21, 2009 by Travis Jonker   2 comments

binkycov

Binky the Space Cat
By Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
ISBN: 9781554533091
$16.95
Grades 2-4
In Stores
Review copy provided by publisher

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

*Recommended*

The pet who thinks it knows better than its owner is a mainstay protagonist in children’s literature and popular culture in general. From Mark Teague’s LaRue books to Garfield, young readers enjoy animals who believe themselves to be the brains of the operation. In Binky the Space Cat, Ashley Spires takes a feline who thinks he knows better than his humans, adds deadpan humor and a gently off-beat storyline to craft a pleasingly quirky graphic novel that should make the rounds quite nicely.

He doesn’t know it, but Binky is a bit confused. Outer space and aliens? Couldn’t be farther from the truth. “Outer space” is actually the world outside the house he lives in. “Aliens” are the bugs that pester him and his owners. In order to stop an alien invasion Binky becomes Space Cat qualified and builds a rocket to take him into the great unknown. He trains hard for the big day. When the countdown begins Binky realizes that there is one thing he can’t leave behind – two things actually. The big human and the small human he protects.

Muted tones dominate the ink and watercolor illustrations, nicely juxtaposing the outlandish ideas of our hero. Everything is not as calm as it may seem.

binkyinside

A graphic novel for younger readers that has plenty going for it, Binky the Space Cat makes for a solid addition to your collection.

Also reviewed by Young Readers, Good Comics for Kids.

Find this book at your local library with WorldCat.

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Publisher Preview: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Fall 2025)

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Don’t Cause Trouble | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Our Mock Newbery List is Up to 52 Titles

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Here Have Some New YA Thrillers

by Riley Jensen

The Yarn

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

10 Films to Ignite Classroom Discussion | Multimedia Video Reviews

14 Videos to Educate and Inspire Classrooms | Multimedia Video Reviews

14 Videos to Spark Engagement in Elementary, Middle Grade, and High School Classrooms

Four Breezy YA Summer Reads for Fans of 'Along for the Ride' on Netflix | Read-Alikes

The Purple Crayon on the Big Screen | Opinion

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charlotte says

    August 21, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    I will try very hard to find this when it comes out…

  2. Charlotte says

    August 21, 2009 at 6:52 pm

    I see now that it is out, and it is added to my shopping basket…

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025