Binky Under Pressure

Binky Under Pressure (CAN, JP, US, INT)

Written and Illustrated by: Ashley Spires

Published by: Kids Can Press

Published on: September 1, 2011

Ages:7+

Provided by the publisher for review through NetGalley
 






Binky's the space cat is back for his 3rd adventure. He successfully negotiated the obstacles in Binky the Space Cat and Binky to the Rescue. Now he has a new challenge- another space travelling cat has invaded his space station. Gracie is not just a colleague, however, she's his boss, coming to evaluate his performance. Will he pass her tests and continue as a space cat?

Ashley Spires (Larf) is known for her quirky characters, and Binky is no exception. He has the finest qualities of a domesticated feline, a healthy interest in laying around and eating. But when push comes to shove he can protect his space station (home) from the most vicious of aliens (bugs).  He kind of reminds me of Bilbo Baggins, with his attachment to the comforts of life but amazing potential for courage when put to the test.

This, like Laundry Day, would be an ideal introduction to the comic book genre for kids. The panels are laid out in a very understandable manner, even the dream sequence, and the word content would be easily grasped by a grade 2 reader. Binky is adorable and this edition especially would be relatable for kids in grade 1 or 2 who have just been introduced to tests.

My kids really enjoyed this as a read-aloud book. Parts are laugh-out-loud funny as Spires' books normally are. They liked that Binky's head is shaped like a rocket, which I hadn't even noticed. That is the kind of thing that really resonates with the elementary and under crowd.

This is the sixth book I have reviewed for the Sixth Canadian Book Challenge.