Space Dog

December 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-Even though they've been enemies in the past, Space Dog, Astro Cat, and Moustronaut team up for a special mission. It begins with Space Dog about to go home. His mission begins tackling problems in the Dairy Quadrant. A cute piece of cereal donning a crown pleads for help on Cornflake 5 because there is no milk on the planet. Meanwhile, planet Bottleopolis is inundated with milk. With Space Dog to the rescue, the planets are saved. His next feats involve tackling the Colossal Stink, a growing hairball living in the drain, and rescuing an escaped pet. Life returns to his normal, but boring, routine until Astrocat crashes his space saucer and needs to be rescued. Even though the two have been enemies, they soon discover how much fun it can be spending time together. Just when Astrocat is ready to head home, another distress call comes in. The Ketchup Volcanoes need their lids screwed on. Space Dog and Astrocat have a successful mission. But before they return home, Moustronaut needs rescuing from Cheese Ants, especially from the menacing Queen with huge green eyes and large striped legs. Despite their previous enmity, Astrocat saves Moustronaut. Although no one knows what the future holds, they decide to be friends. In typical Mini Grey-style, illustrations are bold and colorful. This graphic novel-like format will be embraced by its audience. VERDICT With elements of space, dogs, and friendship, this is likely to find an enthusiastic audience.-Robin Sofge, Alexandria Library, VA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
This gastronomical sci-fi adventure takes place in the Spooniverse, home to the Ice Cream Nebula, the Pastaroid Belt, and more (all helpfully mapped out on the front endpapers). As fantastic as this planetary smorgasbord is, one natural law is seemingly immutable: dogs, cats, and mice are sworn enemies. Space Dog, returning to his home planet after a long solo mission in the Dairy Quadrant, takes a detour to answer a distress call. He's stunned when he realizes that he's rescued AN ASTROCAT! This is uncharted territory, but Space Dog does the honorable thing and brings Astrocat on board the SS Kennel. The risk pays off: Astrocat is good company, a good cook, and a helpful partner on rescue missions ( Many paws make light work, eh, Space Dog? Holy condiments, Astrocat, you're not wrong! ). The text's bantering tone is reflected in Grey's out-of-this-world compositions. With speech bubbles, sound effects, text boxes, and a variety of panel and full-page illustrations, the mixed-media art packs lots of detail into each well-designed scene. When the two pals save a Moustronaut from Cheese Ants on an about-to-implode cheesy planet, they add the quick-thinking mouse [to] our team. We leave the three sworn friends as they set a course for The Unknown Zone, boldly going where no dog, cat, or mouse has gone before. kitty flynn

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)