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Space Cat #4
Space Cat and the Kittens
"Paul Galdone's pictures, especially of the kittens in their space suits, have humor and imagination to match the text." — Saturday Review
Flyball, the famous Space Cat, is a father now! He and Moofa, the last of the Martian fishing cats, are the proud parents of a pair of mischievous, fun-loving kittens, Marty and Tailspin. The whole family joins Colonel Fred Stone and a new friend, Bill, on a mission to Alpha Centauri to seek out places where humans can live. Along the way, the crew makes an amazing discovery — a planet abounding in iguanodons, pterodactyls, tyrannosauri, and a host of other prehistoric creatures.
"Paul Galdone's pictures ... have humor and imagination to match the text," noted the Saturday Review of this charmingly illustrated storybook, the last of a four-book series starring the intrepid feline known as Space Cat. Young readers will delight in taking a look at space exploration from Flyball's point of view and following his escapades across the solar system.
Flyball, the famous Space Cat, is a father now! He and Moofa, the last of the Martian fishing cats, are the proud parents of a pair of mischievous, fun-loving kittens, Marty and Tailspin. The whole family joins Colonel Fred Stone and a new friend, Bill, on a mission to Alpha Centauri to seek out places where humans can live. Along the way, the crew makes an amazing discovery — a planet abounding in iguanodons, pterodactyls, tyrannosauri, and a host of other prehistoric creatures.
"Paul Galdone's pictures ... have humor and imagination to match the text," noted the Saturday Review of this charmingly illustrated storybook, the last of a four-book series starring the intrepid feline known as Space Cat. Young readers will delight in taking a look at space exploration from Flyball's point of view and following his escapades across the solar system.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
1 person is currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Ruthven Todd
61 books21 followersRuthven Todd was a poet, author of children's books, and a member of the surrealist school of art. He also wrote detective fiction under the pseudonym R.T. Campbell.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 4, 2018
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
While this is definitely a wonderful series all around, this last book is undoubtedly the weakest; it lacks the imagination and the spark of the previous three. The ending is abrupt and a focus on the kittens being stupid and therefore leading to life-threatening situations is not nearly as fun as Flyball exploring new worlds. As well, even the 'new world' here is just a retread of ancient Earth history rather than creating a new environment as before. It feels a bit lazy - even the ending is abrupt and clipped.Story: Flyball and Moofa find themselves on another mission - this time to explore an entirely new (unnamed) planet! Of course, they will have to take the kittens with them - who knows what mischief they will get into otherwise! But once on the planet, the kittens find a way to escape the close scrutiny of both parents and humans - and find themselves needing to be rescued!
I would have loved to be a kid in 1958 and had these read to me. There had been no man on the moon yet and we barely understood the planets and space travel. Of course, science isn't a requisite in children's fantasy books but I can see where some parents would be hesitant to read to their kids such a fanciful take on science - a time before microbes, foreign diseases, etc. etc. became known. We can only smile today that the only requisite needed to explore a new planet is air.
So although the naughty kitten adventure is likely the weakest in the series, I still greatly enjoyed reading a story from a time before science became...hard. The illustrations are cute and engaging and it's fun to follow the adventures of a fearless space cat. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
August 6, 2014
So when this freebie fell into my hands I read it for one reason. I wanted to try to feel like I was 5 or 6 for a little while (no things probably weren't simpler back then but I wanted to delude myself for a little bit). While not as good as Anne McCaffrey's Catwings books, Space Cat has its own charms despite it science errors. Flyball may have been the first Earth cat into space, and now his mate Moofa (a Martian cat just go with it) and their kittens Tailspin and Marty will join a crew on the first interstellar flight to Alpha Centauri. Yes, the science is poor. Of course the kits have advenures and get into trouble, but hey they're kittens. However, it would be nice for a there to be some science fiction, non-dystopian such as this, for grade school kids to select from nowadays in addition to all of the fantasy.
May 30, 2013
Last of the Space Cat books.
July 7, 2022
My son and I enjoyed this story. Kittens and dinosaurs-what's not to love? Unfortunately, I did have to skip some scenes when reading it aloud as dinosaurs were dying and being preserved for science.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2019
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5
The fourth (and final?) volume of the Space Cat series includes not only Flyball's new female friend, Moofa (from Mars), but also a pair of kittens - Moofa and Flyball's children.
The kittens, Marty and Tailspin, have quickly become space travelers, with Space Cat and Moofa showing them how to handle themselves in space. And now, in this volume, they join Colonel Fred Stone and his friend Bill on a trip to Alpha Centauri.
Along the way, the now sizable party investigate a completely new, heretofore unnamed planet. This is what being space explorers is all about after all. And what they find is a fascinating array of animals that look exactly like Earth's pre-historic animals. There are tyrannosaurs and pterodactyls and triceratops and stegosaurus'. It's like traveling to Earth's past. And as exciting as it may be to see these animals up close, Tailspin and Marty are still just a pair of kittens who don't care too much about what they see and, like the siblings they are, they rough-house and wander off. But this is a dangerous planet to become lost on! Fred and Bill have to take their helicopter out of the spaceship in order to search for them!
I've enjoyed these Space Cat books, despite the quite obvious scientific flaws. It predates most of what we know about the planets and satellites in our solar system and it's fantasy for young children - books to get the imagination flowing.
And that's part of the problem with this title. It really lacks imagination. Of all the wild and crazy things author Ruthven Todd could put on this new planet (and he's already come up with some pretty crazy things), he instead falls back to something old. Yes, dinosaurs have captured children's imagination for about as long as we've known about them, but this one just doesn't fit well within the Space Cat series.
It doesn't help that we're almost trying to do too much, with the addition of the kittens, the introduction of a new human, and visiting a planet of dinosaurs. We're trying to hold on to the attention of young children after all. (And today's youngsters have a very short attention span.)
I've enjoyed this series quite a bit and I'm glad to have this fourth book if just to keep the collection complete, but as a book/story, this one is easily the weakest of the lot. As always, though, Paul Galdone's art is funny and captivating.
Looking for a good book? Space Cat and the Kittens by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone is not quite as enjoyable as the earlier books in the series, but a moderately fun reprint from the 1950's.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The fourth (and final?) volume of the Space Cat series includes not only Flyball's new female friend, Moofa (from Mars), but also a pair of kittens - Moofa and Flyball's children.
The kittens, Marty and Tailspin, have quickly become space travelers, with Space Cat and Moofa showing them how to handle themselves in space. And now, in this volume, they join Colonel Fred Stone and his friend Bill on a trip to Alpha Centauri.
Along the way, the now sizable party investigate a completely new, heretofore unnamed planet. This is what being space explorers is all about after all. And what they find is a fascinating array of animals that look exactly like Earth's pre-historic animals. There are tyrannosaurs and pterodactyls and triceratops and stegosaurus'. It's like traveling to Earth's past. And as exciting as it may be to see these animals up close, Tailspin and Marty are still just a pair of kittens who don't care too much about what they see and, like the siblings they are, they rough-house and wander off. But this is a dangerous planet to become lost on! Fred and Bill have to take their helicopter out of the spaceship in order to search for them!
I've enjoyed these Space Cat books, despite the quite obvious scientific flaws. It predates most of what we know about the planets and satellites in our solar system and it's fantasy for young children - books to get the imagination flowing.
And that's part of the problem with this title. It really lacks imagination. Of all the wild and crazy things author Ruthven Todd could put on this new planet (and he's already come up with some pretty crazy things), he instead falls back to something old. Yes, dinosaurs have captured children's imagination for about as long as we've known about them, but this one just doesn't fit well within the Space Cat series.
It doesn't help that we're almost trying to do too much, with the addition of the kittens, the introduction of a new human, and visiting a planet of dinosaurs. We're trying to hold on to the attention of young children after all. (And today's youngsters have a very short attention span.)
I've enjoyed this series quite a bit and I'm glad to have this fourth book if just to keep the collection complete, but as a book/story, this one is easily the weakest of the lot. As always, though, Paul Galdone's art is funny and captivating.
Looking for a good book? Space Cat and the Kittens by Ruthven Todd and Paul Galdone is not quite as enjoyable as the earlier books in the series, but a moderately fun reprint from the 1950's.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here: This is the third Space Cat adventure and it is just as much fun as the first two. Flyball and his Martian mate Moofa have two kittens. These two, despite being born in space and therefore rather blasé about the wonders of space travel, are normal kittens.. That means they are mischievious and bound to get into trouble. Flyball who could be a rascal himself when he was younger has his paws full trying to keep those two in line.
They both time and space travel to a world similar to our own Earth but in prehistoric times. That means they meet all sorts of dinosaurs but in miniature form. Some of them are quite friendly and cute. Others are downright fierce and vicious even though they are smaller than they were on Earth. When the two kittens escape parental and human observation, they are off. They may not look for trouble but trouble will find them. Thankfully, Flyball and Fred are able to rescue the kittens before anything serious befalls them.
These stories are charming with adorable artwork accompanying the narrative. It is fun to read them from the vantage point of what we now know of space. They are great books for both the young and young at heart.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
They both time and space travel to a world similar to our own Earth but in prehistoric times. That means they meet all sorts of dinosaurs but in miniature form. Some of them are quite friendly and cute. Others are downright fierce and vicious even though they are smaller than they were on Earth. When the two kittens escape parental and human observation, they are off. They may not look for trouble but trouble will find them. Thankfully, Flyball and Fred are able to rescue the kittens before anything serious befalls them.
These stories are charming with adorable artwork accompanying the narrative. It is fun to read them from the vantage point of what we now know of space. They are great books for both the young and young at heart.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
September 13, 2019
In this book, Colonel Fred has a new partner, named Bill, and Flyball (Space Cat), not only has his Martian cat wife Moofa but also two Kittens, Marty and Tailspin. They have a new ship called the Einstein, which has hyperdrive and they travel to Alpha Centauri. There, they land on a planet that is much like the prehistoric earth, complete with dinosaurs. So, what trouble can two rambunctious kittens get into on such a planet? read this book and find out! Like the others in the series, it is a lot of fun for children and adults alike. I am sorry it was the last in the series.
July 7, 2019
If you think space cats are adorable, Space Cats and the Kittens has them in spades. I continue to be amazed at the foresight by Ruthven Todd, who 60 years ago predicted here that Alpha Centauri may have Earth-like planets. And while the details of that planet and its denizens are decidedly pulp, and that the star system's distance is grossly overestimated at 9,000 light-years (It's closer to 4) this is still a fun space cat romp to share with your little space cadet.
September 6, 2022
My kids enjoy the Space Cat series. This one is kind of fun as Flyball, Moofa and their twins visit a new galaxy - with the help of their humans Fred and Bill. There's no end to the mischief the kittens get themselves into. Personally I like the parent cats as characters better than the kittens, but the interesting planet makes up for focusing on the kittens. Definitely worth a read as it's the final installment of the Space Cat series.
February 21, 2017
While the Space Cat series is wordy and a little stilted all around, the adventures of Flyball are nonetheless fun and exciting. This one is lacking in excitement. We stopped reading it 3/4 of the way through.
April 18, 2020
Space Cat's kittens have his adventurous spirit and manage to get themselves into trouble on a prehistoric world near Alpha Centauri. A good read, but I like the focus on Space Cat himself more in the other books.
July 3, 2018
A cute ending to a silly, but imaginative, series.
January 2, 2019
This series is adorable !!! Great insightful science fiction for 1957. Paul Galdone's illustrations are perfect. So good to see this chapterbook series being reprinted!!!!
April 22, 2019
I read this when I was a kid. I remember finding it in the school library. I loved space and I loved cats, so a cat Astronaut visiting a planet with tiny dinosaurs was a win-win for me.
May 8, 2019
I love these cat books, written by Ruthven Todd. The adventures of cats in outer space is hysterical as well as charming.
December 29, 2019
I see that this book has gotten mixed reviews. Now, of course, the book seems silly but, when I was about 6 years old, I thought this was just about the best book ever. So that's how I'm rating it.
February 11, 2022
I wish there were more!
December 11, 2022
Space cat, his wife, and their kittens explore a new planet. I wish there were more light-hearted science fiction for children similar to this series.
Read
May 28, 2024Still as delightful as the first time I read it in 1983. My wife and children loved it, too!
January 12, 2025
Adventures of Space Cat continue with the addition of a wife and mischievously kittens.
Pilot Fred has a new human partner, and a new mission to test a new rocket. Traveling outside of the solar system will be dangerous. The kittens are fitted with space suits, and they're off to Alpha Centorii .
Pilot Fred has a new human partner, and a new mission to test a new rocket. Traveling outside of the solar system will be dangerous. The kittens are fitted with space suits, and they're off to Alpha Centorii .
March 23, 2015
Man, I am so sad that this was the last of the Space Cat series. OH, those mischievous KITTENS!!!
October 30, 2018
This was a fast and cute read.
Definitely a great book to instill a love of reading in a child.
Going by the description I assumed there would be more pictures.
The illustrations were great, I just wish there had been more.
Definitely a great book to instill a love of reading in a child.
Going by the description I assumed there would be more pictures.
The illustrations were great, I just wish there had been more.
December 2, 2018
I'm an adult lover of vintage illustrated children's books. The story is well written and imaginative, sort of a hybrid of Bradbury's Martian Chronicles, Socks by Beverly Cleary, with some Jurassic World thrown in for good measure. Paul Galdone's illustrations charmed me, particularly as the style is similar to that of the beloved Chas Addams. If your kids are avid readers, I'd recommend this for reading aloud, story time or for quiet-time reading up to age 10.
Amazon reviewer name: M Arcade
Amazon reviewer name: M Arcade
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews