From Powells.com
Discover the books that made our 2022 list.
Synopses & Reviews
New York Times-bestselling Mac Barnett and award-winning illustrator Shawn Harris turn their massively popular The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza live cartoon into an action-packed and hysterical graphic novel series — perfect for fans of Dav Pilkey, Raina Telgemeier, and Jeff Kinney.
Something terrible is happening in the skies. Rats are eating the MOON
There's only ONE hero for the job, a bold and fearsome beast bioengineered in a secret lab to be the moon's savior and Earth's last hope. And that hero is . . . a cat. A cat who will be blasted into space
Accompanied by the imperious Moon Queen and LOZ 4000, a toenail clipping robot, the First Cat in Space journeys across a fantastic lunar landscape in a quest to save the world. Will these unlikely heroes save the moon in time? Can a toenail-clipping robot find its purpose in the vast universe? And will the First Cat in Space ever eat some pizza?
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“In full, vivid color, the loose cartoon style exudes an infectious glee, flawlessly matching Barnett's freewheeling, absurdist humor and plotting.” Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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“Outer space high jinks and gentle humor….[A] laugh-out-loud tale of the first cat in space.” School Library Journal (Starred Review)
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“Epic lunacy.” Kirkus Reviews
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“[An] obvious work of creative joy…..A definite winner in the age of Dog Man.” Booklist
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“Ridiculously fun and brilliantly illustrated." Dav Pilkey, creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants
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"A hilarious graphic novel." New York Times
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“The surprisingly earnest themes of friendship and individual purpose combined with the absurd humor should resonate with this audience of readers.” Horn Book Magazine
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“Barnett is cruising comfortably in his usual lane of quirky humor, and Harris matches the absurdity with cleverly composed illustrations that balance visual humor with narrative necessity.” The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
About the Author
Mac Barnett is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than thirty languages. His picture books include two Caldecott Honor-winning collaborations with Jon Klassen: Sam & Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn. Among his other popular books are I Love You Like a Pig, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, and The Magic Word, illustrated by Elise Parsley. He lives in Oakland, California. You can visit him online at www.macbarnett.com.
Shawn Harris's first illustrated book, Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, received seven starred reviews, was an Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book, an ALA Notable, and a PW Best Book of the Year. His other picture books include Eggers's What Can a Citizen Do, which was a Time Magazine Best Children's Book, Everyone's Awake by Colin Meloy, A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett, and his own author-illustrated works Have You Ever Seen a Flower? and Doing Business. Harris also occasionally moonlights as singer/songwriter of the popular Oakland, California, band The Matches, whose early 2000s album art sparked his illustration career.