Binky Under Pressure

Starred review from April 15, 2011

Binky the Space Cat returns for his third not-so-quite-out-of-this-world adventure.

The doughty astronaut keeps his humans safe in their space station (suburban house), but his life has become boring...nap, snack, cuddle, nap, catch aliens (bugs), nap. Then his humans bring home foster cat Gracie. And quelle horreur! He must share his food, litter and best friend, Ted! When explaining the situation to Gracie doesn't work, Binky stalks her, taking notes. She's too perfect; maybe the aliens created a robot cat in an attempt to infiltrate the space station. But no, when Binky tests Gracie to see if she hates aliens as much as he, she reveals her true identity: Captain Gracie of F.U.R.S.T. (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel), clearance level 6, License to Scratch; she's Binky's superior and it's time for his annual review! Binky must prove himself or lose his commission. He's made some mistakes in the past, but his humans and his space station need him now! Then aliens actually do invade; will Gracie and Binky be able to beat back the attack? All the ingredients are present for Spires' chubby and sweetly delusional kitty's return: Binky's wild imaginings, deadpan humor, occasional space gas (poot).

Fans will celebrate; aliens will quiver in fright. (Graphic fiction. 7-14)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

K-Gr 4-Another winning entry in the series. In this installment, a new character enters Binky's well-regulated space station. While Gracie poses as a foster cat competing for his humans' affections, Binky soon realizes that she is in fact a captain in F.U.R.S.T. (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel), and she has come to evaluate the performance of his space-cat duties. He struggles at first with the trials she sets before him, but when a real danger emerges, he and Gracie work together to protect their home from insect invaders. The story is cinematically told; Spires pulls into close-ups at key moments and shifts fluidly between the vantage points of her two main characters. Pages are well laid out; while the placement and shape of panels vary, they always guide readers' eyes easily through the action, and flashback and fantasy are easily distinguished from real-time events through the use of wavy panel boundaries. As always, the story is infused with laugh-out-loud moments aimed both at kids (Binky's recurring bouts of space gas) and at adults (annoyed at Gracie, Binky thinks, "If this is what girls are like, he's glad he's fixed"). The addition of Gracie gives the story a stronger conflict and greater dramatic heft than was found in the previous books, capped by a satisfying resolution that sets the stage for the space cat's next escapade. Sure to be a hit with graphic-novel fans and cat lovers.-Kate Hewitt, Far Brook School, Short Hills, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2011
Grades 2-4 Binky has settled into a routineand perhaps he has settled a bit too much. Everything changes when a new cat moves into the space station, er, house. Now Binky must show that his alien-fighting skills are still at full power or risk losing his Space Cat certification. Binky fans will be thrilled with Spires' third outing. The adorable, if gassy, Binky is at maximum cuteness and silliness, while the dual plotsfocusing on friendship and hard workcarry a sweet message without being overbearing. Binky is a must-read that both kids and parents will love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)