The Space Cat: A Graphic Novel

by Nnedi Okorafor, Tana Ford (Illustrator)

Invaders from outer space have descended on Nigeria. They have no idea whose home they're messing with.

Ah, yes, the luxurious life of a well-loved cat. It’s the best. And Periwinkle has it the cushiest. But there’s more to this pampered pet than meets the eye. He’s not just a house cat. He’s a space cat. By day, he’s showered with scritches, cuddles, and delicious chicken fillets. By night, he races through the cosmos in his custom-built spaceship.

Between epic battles with squeaky toys and working on ways to improve his ship, Periwinkle is never bored. And when his humans decide to leave the United States and move to the small but bustling town of Kaleria, Nigeria, he’s excited to explore his new home—even after he learns that many Nigerians hate cats. After all, a born adventurer like Periwinkle doesn’t shy away from new experiences. But not everything in Kaleria is as it seems. Soon enough, Periwinkle finds himself on his most out-of-this-world adventure yet, right here on Earth.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Comics, Animals, Fantasy, Cats

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

Nnedi Okorafor is a New York Times Bestselling writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. The more specific terms for her works are africanfuturism and africanjujuism, both terms she coined and defined. Born in the United States to two Nigerian (Igbo) immigrant parents and visiting family in Nigeria since she was a child, the foundation and inspiration of Nnedi’s work is rooted in this part of Africa. Her many works include Who Fears Death (winner of the World Fantasy Award and in development at HBO as a TV series), the Nebula and Hugo award winning novella trilogy Binti (in development as a TV series), the Lodestar and Locus Award winning Nsibidi Scripts Series, LaGuardia (winner of a Hugo and Eisner awards for Best Graphic Novel) and her most recent novella Remote Control. Her debut novel Zahrah the Windseeker won the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature. She lives with her daughter Anyaugo in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more about Nnedi at Nnedi.com and follow Nnedi on twitter (as @Nnedi), Facebook and Instagram.

Reviews

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unhinged story of a cat, who travels in space and on earth. His English is poor (which drove me a bit crazy!) and he’s kind of a jerk a lot of the time; but when it really matters he comes through. The illustrations from Tana Ford are bizarre, yet very consistent and set a good tone for this silly story.

A bizarre little graphic novel that is great for kids (so long as you can handle the poor English) and wildly silly for adults. Although any pet owner can appreciate the quirky attitude and personality each of our own pets has. The space cat is perhaps the best because he’s a real pet owned by writer Nnedi Okorafor.

The story itself intrigued me as it paints Nigeria as a place of hostility to animals. I know from my co-workers that are from there that certainly animals are all deemed ‘wild’ and pets are rare. Even when it’s a dog or a cat. I did not realize they were considered demons by so many. I’m going to assume Okorafor is telling the truth as it is her parent’s home country that she has visited many times.

Up for the 2025 Hugo for best graphic/children’s novel, The Space Cat is a weird, fun, oddly satisfying story that emphasizes friendship and family bonds. The best part however are the last couple of pages with the real photos of Space Cat and her real humans. Easily accessible to any one of any age. Just remember the English is not correct, so don’t let your child learn from this book (the same as minions do not speak real English and are inadequate teachers for a toddler)!

[Silvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Must be nice to be able to write about your cat and make him a spacefaring kitty. This is pretty cute. Not sure about the first story but I like the Nigerian story best.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

This was an interesting graphic novel about the secret life of Periwinkle, who in addition to being the author's cat, also has space adventures. These are presented in what I consider "comic book" format; episodic stories that don't necessarily tie together. The cat getting into a bottle of "alien" hot sauce was fairly amusing.

The art was phenomenal, and I loved the use of color. For the flashback of Periwinkle being adopted, there is a nice sepia toned background, but pops of color for people and the cat. The space adventures are largely blue and purple.

I enjoyed this author's Ikenga, but haven't read any of her other books. This would be a good choice for readers who enjoyed Cody and Mercado's Cat Ninja Venable and Yu's Katie the Catsitter, Boothby and Matsumoto's Sparks! or Marciano et al.'s Klawde.

https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute middle grade graphic novel. Older readers can enjoy it a lot as well, but I feel that the plot points are more appealing to a younger audience. I enjoyed the art as well.

It took a moment for me to adjust to the language choice used for the titular Space Cat. Periwinkle (the Space Cat) uses a kind of broken English, and I think it's intentional to indicate that Periwinkle is not from Earth, since all of the other animals speak English with normal grammar. It's also possible that it's intended to be Nigerian Pidgin (since about half of the book is set in Nigeria when the Okorafor family goes back to live there for a year) but I think it's intended to be a non-Earth thing since the other Space Cat also speaks in the same fashion.

All told, this is a quick and fun read, though I do think it would be enjoyed most by the intended MG audience.

[Kaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. This was fun, and I loved the artwork!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Very fun to read!

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun and imaginative, but not my cup of tea. It's vibrant and chaotic with plenty of action and a beloved protagonist, but doesn't stay with me or leave me wanting more.

[Sune Borkfelt · Rating 2 out of 5]

In all honesty, I probably would have liked this better if the cat didn't speak in a kind of youtube-ish broken English, which unduly infantilizes anthropomorphic animals.

This ruined for me what otherwise could have been a nice nonhuman animal-centred graphic novel. The artwork is cool, the story is simple - not much of a plot - but entertaining enough with some okay cultural commentary. But well.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Periwinkle is a cat of extraterrestrial origins, who spends his days with a human family and nights in space racing a fellow alien feline in their spaceships - but when his owners move them to Nigeria, he and the local fauna must defend Earth from an invasion only they can see! Okorafor and Ford deliver a cute and prettily illustrated tale, comical and cozy amidst its entrancing stir of colours and space.

[terpkristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tale of a Space Cat and its friends saving the world from evil aliens. And, obviously, being a cat.

[ElphaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was adorable. I love the idea of a naughty cat being a space adventurer.

[Kendall Santoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wildly entertaining graphic novel is a good choice for middle grade students. Periwinkle the cat’s cosmic adventures seamlessly blend with Nigerian culture, creating a wonderful story that all readers can enjoy. When Periwinkle’s family moves to Nigeria, he encounters many aspects of Nigerian culture, such as their dislike for cats. The setting of Nigeria, resent in the vibrant visuals, introduces local floral and fauna that Periwinkle soon discovers are undercover alien invaders, leading him on a thrilling and imaginative journey. Educators should offer this book in their classrooms as the fun, vibrant visual storytelling can be a great choice for reluctant readers as well as providing cultural representation of Nigeria.

[Erica Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful read! The Space Cat is a cute, sweet, and genuinely funny graphic novel packed with fast-paced action and laugh-out-loud moments.

The art is great, and Nnedi Okorafor's depiction of feline behavior is perfect—anyone who has lived with a cat will find it hilariously accurate. The story also seamlessly weaves in fascinating learning moments about Nigerian culture, offering a wonderful window into traditions that may be new to many Western readers.

This is a fun, action-packed adventure that's full of heart, humor, and feline antics.

[Linguana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great. If you have ever had a cat or know a cat, you'll giggle your butt off. If you enjoy science-fiction and/or spacefaring cats, you'll also have a blast.
And to top it all off, it's gorgeously drawn and colored. Plus, it feels like getting a behind the scenes look on Nnedi Okorafor's life, how she writes books, how Periwinkle Chukwu the cat "helps" and just lots of other lovely things.
I would love more of this kind of cozy sci-fi graphic novel, please.

[Teleseparatist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Hugo packet. A graphic novel recounting the imagined adventures of Nnedi Okorafor's real life cat. Who is, guess what, ADORABLE. I particularly loved the part about his kittenhood.

Some of the pictures are so glorious, and I loved the realistic parts much more than the sf adventures.

(I'm of course full of opinions about cat feeding and the litterbox... It's impossible to turn that off, but it's not relevant to the story so I'll just steep.)

[Tam I · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read an ARC

I love cats. I love space. I thought this would be a winner. I was disappointed.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I admit I am a sucker for these - but I liked it a lot and am not in fact apologizing :)

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illustrations were dope. Storyline was dope.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this title. Pumpernickel Pickle Periwinkle Chukwu Okorafor is not just any cat--he's a SPACE CAT. His father is from Neptune, after all. He has it pretty good at home, but when his humans travel to Nigeria for a year it looks like things might be a bit dicey. Nigerians, it seems, do not like cats. And it seems as though some sort of alien presence has invaded the area and is controlling the humans. But Periwinkle is not a cat to be trifled with. He is more than up to the challenge of making friends in a hostile environment--and those aliens will not know what hit them. This one is lots of fun.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute enough middle grade graphic novel.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book forever. I love Okorafor's fiction & Periwinkle makes appearances on her IG. The art is this is amazing. Tana Ford does a beautiful job capturing the essence of cat. The story is entertaining; I kept giggling in the first 1/3 of the book because of how fussy cats can be is captured perfectly. A fun read for sure!

[Amanda Kendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a really sweet cat adventure story. It's hard not to imagine your pets having a secret life when you're away, full of drama and intrigue, and this is just that. I've been a fan of Okorafor's work for years, and she frequently shares Periwinkle on her social media, so it was incredibly charming. I'm not sure how it would play for an audience not familiar with "The Nnedi" or Periwinkle, but I thought it was quite funny and sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read!

[WadeofEarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated seeing a bit more of the cute/fun side of Okorafor's creativity in this one. I feel like pet owners in particular will love the rationalization of so much wierd animal behavior, but anyone can enjoy this fun little adventure! Okorafor and Ford are definitely a winning team!

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

(DNF - pg 50)

[Simms · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cat owners love their cats and love thinking that talking about how much they love their cats is interesting

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/5/2026 Even cuter than I thought it would be, tho I already knew going in that First Second only publishes the best graphic novels. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

8/7/2026 I vastly overestimated the number of books I still had to read for the 2026 Hugo for Best Graphic Story, so this is the last and, dare I say, my favorite of the slate! Full ranking at the bottom, once I'm done discussing this utterly charming graphic novel that reimagines the life of Nnedi Okorafor's beloved cat Peri.

Peri, despite the elegant and admittedly exotic appearance of his Oriental Shorthair breed, is not your ordinary Earth cat. His father came from Neptune, so he has the ability to engineer marvels, including a liminal space in which to craft items such as the spaceship he uses to race other cats amidst the stars. One of these cats is his nemesis -- one of several, tbh, including hot sauce and a particularly annoying cat toy -- but all thoughts of such are temporarily shelved when his family moves to Nigeria to research a book Nnedi is writing.

As with many cats in tropical countries, Peri soon becomes an indoor-outdoor pet, and quickly learns about local superstitions via the stray cats at the nearby market (I, for one, had no idea that Nigerians view cats with such suspicion!) When a threat arrives from outer space, however, Peri will have to unite more allies than just his new friends in order to protect humanity and the world from alien invasion.

Golly, this book was so cute from start to finish, from Ms Okorafor's playful writing to Tana Ford's note-perfect illustrations. To be perfectly honest, as soon as I saw that this was published by First Second Books, I knew that this would be class through and through. Peri is a conceited but warm-hearted delight, and his adventures both on earth and beyond are a hoot. I was both charmed and moved by the narrative, which did a perfect job of conveying the message it meant to. For that reason primarily, I've put this at the top of my list for this year's Hugo for Best Graphic Story.

I've had to think about the rest of the slate, and have decided that the order I'll put them in is

2. The Power Fantasy Vol 1
3. Absolute Wonder Woman Vol 1
4. The Invisible Parade
5. A Wizard Of Earthsea
6. A Girl And Her Fed

I've linked to my (sometimes unknowing of the nomination) reviews of each, which will hopefully explain how I've ranked the books. There is no review for A Girl And Her Fed, as the parts of the web comic that were eligible for this year's award made zero sense to me as someone entirely unfamiliar with the story. I'm sure it's great within the context of the larger storyline but I do lean heavily towards works that still convey meaning as a standalone, as prior graphic story nominees have done despite being installments of a larger whole.

The Space Cat by Nnedi Okorafor & Tana Ford was published August 12 2025 by First Second Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled to rate this story for a while as there are things I truly love and dislike about it. In the end I’ve settled on a 4-star rating, as one of the major criticisms I had was more about my personal reading experience than an objective fault in quality. I will start this review by detailing my two criticisms, which both pertain as to why I didn’t get along with the plot as I would have liked.

The first critique is that I found the pacing to be a bit weird - Periwinkle doesn’t actually move to Nigeria until about halfway through the book, and then the events mentioned in the blurb don’t really begin til the last third of the book or so. Up until this time the story is more comprised of vingettes of Periwinkle’s life, which while fun did leave the book feeling directionless and the overall story feeling simple.

My second criticism was that I was never quite sure (until the very end) if the events of the novel were all happening in Periwinkle’s head, as a humurous way to explain the antics of cats, or if Periwinkle was (in this world) really a cat from space fighting aliens. I would have been disappointed to discover only the former were true, so had that hanging over me as I read the book. To my delight the latter was true all along, but this uncertainty definitely impacted my reading experience. (This is the critique I mentioned in the intro, where it was more about how I read the book than an actual fault in reality.)

What I did really love about the story was the simple fact that Okorafor created such a fantastical secret life for her real-life cat. This book reads like a love letter to Periwinkle, and I adore that. I also liked how whimsical the story was; you can’t get more playful than a cat from Neptune adopted by humans on Earth who takes off in his spaceship every night to race other space cats. Finally, the mirroring of the two owl narratives was a really nice construction, and reminded me how much I like Okorafor’s writing. In both the events with the toy owl and the real owls, the relationship starts off rockily before a truce is made and a friendship is formed.

A true merit of the novel is its characters. Obviously MC Periwinkle steals the show and is an absolute delight, with his earnestness, ego, and affection. But Nnedi and her daughter were fantastic SCs - their relationship on page added so much heart. In fact, the love all three characters had for one another was a real high point of the book, beautifully showcasing the themes of finding, protecting and loving your family.

I was so taken by Ford’s art style. It was incredibly dynamic so that it looked like the illustrations were about to move, and it was perfectly suited to depicting our cat MC, Periwinkle, whose expressions and movement jumped out on every page. The colour palette was also excellent, swaying between the deep blues of space and the earthier tones of where Nnedi was staying in Nigeria. The whole novel was gorgeous to look at.

[Jenn "JR" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first year as a Hugo voter and my first time attending Worldcon. I genuinely had no idea I was even eligible to vote until this year, so diving into the voter packet has been a mix of surprise, delight, and a little bit of “why didn’t I do this sooner.” One of the best parts of the whole experience has been discovering works I might never have picked up on my own, and The Space Cat is exactly that kind of discovery. I’m so grateful the creators made it available in the packet.

The book is a fantastic set of stories about a wild lynx‑point Siamese who travels with his family to Nigeria for the year and ends up saving the world from alien invaders. He’s also secretly an alien himself, and his orange space‑cat friend—who he adores—turns out to be his sister. It’s whimsical, heartfelt, and visually rich in a way that a lot of reviewers seem to have missed. People who complained that the story “wasn’t complex enough” were clearly reading only the text and not the art, because the art is doing so much of the emotional and narrative work.

The depiction of kitten zoomies alone deserves an award. Periwinkle’s first day in the house, running nonstop in frantic loops, mapping every corner and surface, is exactly what my mom’s cat Paddy did when we brought him home. It’s so accurate it’s almost documentary. And the hot sauce incident is hilarious in the most cat‑true way possible: the bold investigation, the instant regret, and then the offended look that somehow blames the universe for allowing hot sauce to exist.


The alien plot is playful and unsettling at the same time. The glowing blue plant‑creatures that mimic plants during the day and take over human minds is a clear nod to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." The final battle where geckos, dogs, owls, and cats all band together is chaotic and charming. It’s a story about cooperation, identity, and belonging, told through expressive art and tight, efficient writing.

For me, this is easily a four‑ or five‑star work. It succeeds on its own terms: visually sophisticated, emotionally resonant, culturally grounded, and genuinely funny. As a first‑time Hugo voter, finding something this joyful and well‑crafted in the packet feels like exactly what the Hugo process is meant to do—surface stories that deserve more attention than they get.

ORIGINAL URL: https://www.livegreenwearblack.com/20...

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The family that adopted Periwinkle has no idea he’s a bit unusual. Ok, well, they know he gets crazy zoomies and that it took him forever to trust them after he was adopted. What they don’t know is that he’s part alien, defends them from alien invaders, and spends time at night in his spacecraft traveling the solar system. When the family moves from the States to Nigeria for a year, Periwinkle must contend with local superstitious mistrust of cats and certain other creatures, and then aliens invade. Can Periwinkle rally the local animals to help save Earth from an alien invasion the humans aren’t aware of?

This was an imaginative graphic novel of the adventures of an active cat. It appears the author based it somewhat on her real cat and what she imagines he might get up to. The Nigerian setting was interesting, and I trust it to be authentic since the author is Nigerian American. Periwinkle speaks English like he’s a non-native speaker, which rings true if he’s partially from Neptune. It does make his speech seem disjointed, but it isn’t the best example for those learning English. However it would be a good example of a fairly simple vernacular for an English class. All the other characters speak in fluent English. I like cat stories and I like scifi alien stories, so this was right up my alley. I know some students who are sure to enjoy this too.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: Animals attacking bug or plant-mimicking aliens. Humans in Nigeria are frightened of cats and owls and try to drive them away or kill them. They rough up an owl and throw things at some cats.
Ethnic diversity: Nigerian Americans and Nigerians.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: A witch doctor tries to scare away a “devil” cat, but gets scared away instead.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now we know the TRUTH about the Great Hotsauce Incident.

TL:DR
4 stars
Appropriate for K+
Primary appeal to 2-5
Fans of Cats, Science Fiction, animals with purpose, possibly Scurry by Mac Smith and Warrior Cats GN's

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Those who follow Dr. Nnedi Okorafor online will undoubtedly recognize the main character of this story. Her very real cat, Periwinkle Chukwu, blesses us all with his genius through this fun and interesting sci-fi romp. We race in space, travel in an airplane cargo hold, experiance the Nigerian market, and witness The Great Hotsauce Incident.

While the average person may think that this Great Hotsauce Incident was just a cat being mischievous with condiments, WE now know that in fact, Periwinkle Chukwu successfully battled a tiny alien terror.

Yes, this story (beautifully illustrated by Tana Ford) is about a cat from space and how he saves the Earth (and his humans). But it is also about love and patience. We watch as a mistrustful and defensive cat becomes a loving and protective member of a family. And that evolution makes the rest of the story that much more enjoyable.

Although the mild violence may be too scary for some sensitive younglings, I wouldn't hesitate to read this with/to a few Kindergarteners in my life. I wouldn't put it on a library shelf dedicated to only those younger than 7, though.

I will definitely be adding this to my elementary school library, and highly recommend it for libraries where animal-centric adventures circulate a lot.


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Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance digital copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

KC
School Librarian for 3rd - 5th Grade
Storyteller
Lover of cheese & tiny boxes