The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza

My kids absolutely loved this book. It has amazing illustrations, character development, age appropriate humor, and my kids were laughing out loud when they were reading it while I fixed dinner one night. My kids are huge fans of Dogman, and this fit right in, and has been a graphic novel they pick up and read over and over.

I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this book. This is a truly unique & wonderful read! I came across this book by accident on a display in the children’s section at our local library. The title & cover illustration really grabs your attention. Then I began thumbing through it, being struck by the illustrations and how funny it was. I showed it to my son and he seem interested, so we started reading it at our usual reading spot right there. Over the course of four days, we completed it… and then my son asked me if we could start reading it again. And we did! Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris have struck gold with this book, with a well-organized plot that flows and amazing illustrations. The graphic novel format is such a brilliant way to tell the story; if it had been a condensed down to a traditional picture book, it would not have worked so well. Presenting it as a graphic novel allows for the readers (young & old) to expand their imaginations, creating a world that is very descriptively immersive. You are drawn into the journey of our heroes (First Cat, LOZ 4000, and the Moon Queen), connecting with them on a level that showcases all of their traits, quirks, and thought processes. While, of course, the story is absolutely hilarious with plenty of family-friendly gags & wordplay that even adults will find themselves laughing at, you finish the book really engrossed in the trip the lead characters have taken. It makes you feel good inside that original stories like this exist. I can ramble on for ages about all the other things I love about this book, but I’ll keep this brief so I don’t accidentally give away any spoilers. In short: an amazing story, awesome format, vivid illustrations, well-developed characters, absurdist & intelligent humor that never talks down to children, something for both parents & children to enjoy, and a showcase of diverse personalities & differences. It may be sci-fi for kids, but it’s a refreshing way for children to be exposed to bigger stories & ideas in a way that doesn’t feel like it drags on. Something new & adventurous on each page for them to let their minds explore. While on the outset you think that it’s just silly laughs & visuals, you realize very quickly what is at the core of the story: three very polar opposite individuals coming together to do the right thing, and ultimately discovering themselves through new-found friendship.