Binky might look like a regular old housecat to you, but he’s much more than meets the eye. Binky, unbeknownst to his humans (or anyone else, really) is a certified space cat. He has the very important mission of protecting his humans and his space station, otherwise known as his humans’ home, from aliens. Now, these aliens might look and sound like innocent flies, but no one is going to tell Binky they’re harmless. As a member of F.U.R.S.T. (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel), Binky must be on his toes at all times to prevent those pesky aliens from taking over.
Binky under Pressure
Wow – Binky has really gotten lazy lately. Even though he is an official certified space cat for F.U.R.S.T., he really hasn’t been keeping up with all of his space commander duties. All he has been doing is sleeping, eating, cuddling, and occasionally catching those pesky aliens as they fly in through the window. Things just have to get exciting some time, right? But, when?? Lucky for Binky, in trots Gracie, a cute and cuddly new kitty that’s hanging out at Binky’s until she finds her forever home. But, there’s something suspicious about Gracie. Could she be a Trojan Horse sent by the aliens to defeat Binky once and for all? But, when Binky does learn the truth about Gracie he has his proverbial socks blown off, and readers will, too! Join Binky as he attempts to find out the mystery behind the suspicious kitty and her true intentions!
Binky Takes Charge
Now that Binky has confirmed Gracie’s true identity, passed a super serious F.U.R.S.T. test, and become a LIEUTENANT Space Cat, he knows that he has to step up his game to keep moving up the ranks. First step – train all new incoming F.U.R.S.T. recruits. It’s a very important responsibility, and Binky knows that he is the right man for the job. The doorbell rings…and…it’s a dog?!? Wha?? Yes, F.U.R.S.T. is now P.U.R.S.T. (Pets of the Universe Ready for Space Travel). No longer will dogs, pigs, ferrets, or any other type of animal be excluded because of their non-feline nature. Now, all animals have the chance to protect their humans and their own space stations from alien invasions! But Gordon seems to be the dumbest dog Binky’s ever met. He pees on the floor, can’t keep up with the schedule, and has yet to catch an alien. Binky and Gracie begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, Gordon is a super-secret spy, sent to infiltrate P.U.R.S.T. and derail their mission. Leave it to the super-kitties to figure it out!
All of the Binky adventures are written and illustrated by Ashley Spires and would be perfect additions to any library’s children’s comics section. Each book is laid out exactly like a comic book with easy to follow and read panels and illustrations. The color palate is muted using shades of brown, black, white, and blue to bring Binky’s wonderfully rich landscape to life. Little pops of purple, red, and yellow definitely bring the reader’s attention to important parts of the panel, and Binky’s got some great expressions that will get readers laughing. The humor really does come through in these hilarious stories of Binky and his alien fighting ways. And, when readers aren’t laughing at Binky and his hijinks, they’ll definitely be laughing at the amount of “space gas” that Binky blames on the atmosphere. The Binky adventures are cute, colorful, and very funny, and will appeal to lovers of comics and cats.
Binky the Space Cat, books 3-4
by Ashley Spires
Binky Under Pressure ISBN: 978155453504
Binky Takes Charge ISBN: 9781554537686
Kids Can Press, 2011-2012
Publisher Age Rating: 7-10
