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Space Cat
(Space Cat #1)
by
Everyone goes to the moon in stories these days - why not a cat? So we have the ambitious young cat, Flyball, going off in a rocket and having extraordinary adventures. He is a delight in his space suit - a descendant perhaps of that famous adventurer Puss in Boots.
On the moon he becomes, of course, a super-cat, rescuing his master and finding surprising things in a cave. ...more
On the moon he becomes, of course, a super-cat, rescuing his master and finding surprising things in a cave. ...more
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Hardcover, 72 pages
Published
January 1st 1992
by Peter Smith Publisher
(first published 1952)
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Greatest book about a cat in space ever written.
Totally charming text and illos, of how Flyball the cat went to the Moon, in 1951. Reading the 1952 HB, likely a first ed.
Chapter One. Little Gray Kitten sneaks on board a jetliner (this is written in 1951, mind). Takeoff! His snug sleeping spot tilts! He meows! A friendly man picks him up, hands him to the stewardess. No one claims him. Man adopts him, names him "Flyball."
Chap. 2. Call from the Colonel. "Late from your leave *again*, Stone?" Flyball takes over the Rocket base with his super cat ...more
Chapter One. Little Gray Kitten sneaks on board a jetliner (this is written in 1951, mind). Takeoff! His snug sleeping spot tilts! He meows! A friendly man picks him up, hands him to the stewardess. No one claims him. Man adopts him, names him "Flyball."
Chap. 2. Call from the Colonel. "Late from your leave *again*, Stone?" Flyball takes over the Rocket base with his super cat ...more
This edition was published in 1991 but I read it literally my lifetime ago. It was my favorite book at age 6 or 7. Was already hooked on sci fi and cats, of course. Wonderful illustrations. The respect shown Space Cat by the humans in the story puts humans in a wonderful light. Also loved Space Cat Meets Mars as well as Space Cat Visits Venus. Ruthven Todd, by the way, also wrote an excellent essay on William Blake which I read about 40 years later.
I loved this book as a child, and the prospect of re-reading it as adult delights me! Off to make an Inter-Library Loan request right now!
UPDATE
Still awesome! My cats prefer The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, though.
UPDATE
Still awesome! My cats prefer The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, though.
I absolutely loved these books as a kid. They were part of my early intro to scifi. I still loved them when I read them to my sons. The cat stows away with his astronaut owner on a trip on his rocket ship. Priceless.
I read this book at age 7, after checking it out from the school library. This book, with its 3 companions (Space Cat Visits Venus, etc) are the first science fiction books I ever read, and I can trace my love of that genre to this series.
One of the defining books of my life. Read it during the Johnson administration. Named one of our pet cats Flyball after it!
Princess Fuzzypants here: Space Cat was written and published back in 1952. It tells the story of a kitten named Flyball who manages to adopt an astronaut- still called rocketeers back then- and ends up going to the moon with his human. Flyball is a kitty I can love. He is very adventurous and determined. Even when the humans want to stop him from doing something, he finds a way.
He, like me in my palace, rules the roost. He knows he is in charge and his human would not be able to exist without ...more
He, like me in my palace, rules the roost. He knows he is in charge and his human would not be able to exist without ...more
Truly delightful children's science fiction book that was a tremendous influence on me when I read it as a child. Tells the story of a stray young cat adopted by an astronaut, given the clever name Flyball, his adventures at the space center, and on an exciting journey to the moon.
The Moon is only the start,
Says Flyball the flier.
We'll reach the stars yet
Going higher and higher.
We'll voyage right round space
To the ends of the sky.
Oh, no one ever can guess
How far we will fly! ...more
The Moon is only the start,
Says Flyball the flier.
We'll reach the stars yet
Going higher and higher.
We'll voyage right round space
To the ends of the sky.
Oh, no one ever can guess
How far we will fly! ...more
Half of the idea is 1950s futurist science fiction (conceivable, though now known to be wrong), and half is ridiculous fantasy (inconceivable even then).
Happy little quick-read, just love cats and space, so space cat is amazing, nicely written as if it to be 1969 all over again and with a pinch of science fiction and some moon mystery, owh yeah there are more volumes, happy days
This was probably my very favorite book when I was six. I was into cats. The science in the book is probably pretty silly now but the book was written before all that space stuff even happened. And it was written for children. And it was about a cat.
I remember reading this book and loving it so much, I hid it in the shelves in our school library so that no one else can get it!
This was the very first book I remember reading, at age 6. It established a love for both science fiction and cats ever since.
This is a book about a cat named Flyball that is always up for a good adventure. He is fascinated by space and ends up "working" at a space station and then eventually goes to the moon.
This is a great introduction to science fiction for young readers. I loved Flyball and his conceited feline attitude!
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
This is a great introduction to science fiction for young readers. I loved Flyball and his conceited feline attitude!
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
The first adventure of Space Cat
I first read this book many years ago as a 10 year old , it was my first taste of science fiction and I loved it!
Flyball is a cat with opinions and a pilot friend. They go to the moon. You'll have to read their adventure, it is to good to miss. ...more
I first read this book many years ago as a 10 year old , it was my first taste of science fiction and I loved it!
Flyball is a cat with opinions and a pilot friend. They go to the moon. You'll have to read their adventure, it is to good to miss. ...more
Back in print, this is a charming story of a cat that can't stop adventuring. The original 1950s illustrations are beautifully rendered and endearing. A book to treasure.
...more
Pretty unrealistic but very charming. Cute illustrations. Adults who like this book may also like the story "Space-time for Springers" by Fritz Leiber.
...more
Jul 26, 2020
Edward Sullivan
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-fiction,
cat-stories
Originally published in 1952 and still a great classic. Paul Galdone's black-and-white illustrations are brilliant.
...more
Interesting piece of early juv sci-fi. I'm charmed by the thought of an explorer cat going to the moon with his pilot human. And it was fascinating to see what people in 1952 thought would make sense as being on the moon. The treatment of zero g was solid, but the strange bubble-life forms on the moon were not. Still a cute, quick read, and the illustrations are charming. I did find all the little songs the cat makes up pretty annoying by the end, because seriously. No.
The copy I read is from th ...more
The copy I read is from th ...more
This is a wonderful children's book about a young cat who stows away on a rocket test flight and is then adopted by the astronaut pilot. The astronaut then takes the cat on a trip to the moon. Considering the book was written before any true spaceflight had had taken place, the science and technical aspects were very forward thinking. Spacecat is written from the Cats point of view throughout. This, along with the sequels (Space Cat Visits Mars, ...Visits to Venus, ...and the Kittens) were a lit
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Childhood favorites! I just reread these for the first time since 2nd-3rd grade. They are WONDERFUL. I had to order them through Inter-library loan. There was not one copy in the entire NYC library system.
The writing is sophisticated and fun. Todd knows his cats. And the illustrations are wonderful.
Treat yourself.
The writing is sophisticated and fun. Todd knows his cats. And the illustrations are wonderful.
Treat yourself.
I found out about this vintage juvenile fiction quite by accident, but I am completely captivated. Not only does Space Cat kick some serious ass, he looks just like my cat, Darla, whom we now call Space Cat. Hard to find, long out of print, but super charming!! The 1950's-era depictions of space travel, rockets, and alien worlds are fantastic!
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This was so adorable. And so interesting to read about what people thought might be on the moon before we actually went to the moon. Flyball is cute and smart and cat enough to be believable. Stumbled across this at the library when I was looking for a book by an author with my initials for one of the book challenges I'm doing and am so glad I did :)
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This was one of my favorite books as a child. I've been thinking of it and wishing for it on and off for years. On a whim I searched for it again tonight on Goodreads, and here it is! It's nice, like seeing the face of an old friend.
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I checked this book out from my school library many times as a kid. Finally got to read it again after checking it out from another library, and I was so happy that it held up. The writing is really fun, Flyball is a great cat character, and the illustrations are adorable!
LOVED the illustrations -- my favorite Paul Galdone I've ever seen -- but the story was meh.
...more
This review originally published in < ahref="http://www.lookingforagoodbook.com&qu... For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
In the first of this easy reader series, pilot Captain Fred Stone finds an adventurous feline he names Flyball. Stone is a bit of a rogue - doing things the way he wants to do them, which is not always in keeping with his superior officers' methods. But as Stone is the best pilot the military has, he's given a lot of leeway. And so when Stone, who is about to fly a rocket to the m ...more
In the first of this easy reader series, pilot Captain Fred Stone finds an adventurous feline he names Flyball. Stone is a bit of a rogue - doing things the way he wants to do them, which is not always in keeping with his superior officers' methods. But as Stone is the best pilot the military has, he's given a lot of leeway. And so when Stone, who is about to fly a rocket to the m ...more
A Slightly Goofy Nostalgia Piece That Still Appeals
Everyone has a few childhood books that still resonate, and lots of times those books involve animals, (especially dogs, cats, or horses), or space adventure and sci-fi. My go-to 50's memory along those lines is Eleanor Cameron's "Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet". But for many the Space Cat series fits the bill. This is the first book, (published in 1952), of the four book Space Cat series.
If you love it because you remember it, that's s ...more
Everyone has a few childhood books that still resonate, and lots of times those books involve animals, (especially dogs, cats, or horses), or space adventure and sci-fi. My go-to 50's memory along those lines is Eleanor Cameron's "Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet". But for many the Space Cat series fits the bill. This is the first book, (published in 1952), of the four book Space Cat series.
If you love it because you remember it, that's s ...more
Space Cat was written by Ruthven Todd, illustrated by Paul Galdone, and first published in 1952. I want to point out that this was 17 years before humans actually walked on the moon.
The story follows an adorable little kitten named Flyball, who wants to travel to the moon one day. He sees it up in the sky every night, and wonders what it would be like to go there. His dreams unexpectedly come true after he is adopted by a pilot/astronaut, who finds himself traveling to the moon.
Flyball, being a ...more
The story follows an adorable little kitten named Flyball, who wants to travel to the moon one day. He sees it up in the sky every night, and wonders what it would be like to go there. His dreams unexpectedly come true after he is adopted by a pilot/astronaut, who finds himself traveling to the moon.
Flyball, being a ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Greatest Book EVER Written | 2 | 5 | May 29, 2015 06:57AM | |
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Children's book on space travel to the moon - 1950s [s] | 5 | 47 | Jul 21, 2010 10:44AM |
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Ruthven 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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