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Space Cat #2
Space Cat Visits Venus
Flyball was the only cat on the Moon. He had gone there with his friend Colonel Fred Stone - and now a new rocket ship was being built to take Colonel Stone - and of course Flyball - to the planet Venus.
Flyball's mind was busy. What would a Space Cat find on Venus? Mice? There had been none on the Moon. Birds, perhaps?
The things he did find were a great surprise even to a Space Cat.
The story is told with the same delightful humor as the first book about Space Cat, and is again illustrated by Paul Galdone, who first pictured Flyball's jaunty personality.
Flyball's mind was busy. What would a Space Cat find on Venus? Mice? There had been none on the Moon. Birds, perhaps?
The things he did find were a great surprise even to a Space Cat.
The story is told with the same delightful humor as the first book about Space Cat, and is again illustrated by Paul Galdone, who first pictured Flyball's jaunty personality.
87 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1955
3 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Ruthven Todd
64 books22 followersRuthven Todd was a poet, author of children's books, and a member of the surrealist school of art. He also wrote detective fiction under the pseudonym R.T. Campbell.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 4, 2018
Space Cat (aka Flyball) and Captain Fred fly the giant new rocket "Halley" for the first human/cat exploration of Venus.... I've figured out the way to read these books, which is not to treat "Venus" as OUR second planet, but an alternate Venus, where the plants are intelligent, can move around (to a degree), and are friendly. Especially after Space Cat tears into an ygrombumia, an enemy plant. Fred polishes it off, and they both rescue a blue mouse, somewhat to Flyball's disgust, as he was hoping for some Venusian hunting.....
So this is more of the same amiable nonsense and wonderful drawings (by Paul Galdone) as the first Space Cat book. And I have Good News: good old Dover Books has picked up all 4 books in the series and will reprint them all this year, in time for Christmas. Vol. 1 is already out. If you have kids, or relatives' kids, or kids of friends who are space-nuts and love cats: well, pretty much ideal presents. Plus, you get to read them first!
So this is more of the same amiable nonsense and wonderful drawings (by Paul Galdone) as the first Space Cat book. And I have Good News: good old Dover Books has picked up all 4 books in the series and will reprint them all this year, in time for Christmas. Vol. 1 is already out. If you have kids, or relatives' kids, or kids of friends who are space-nuts and love cats: well, pretty much ideal presents. Plus, you get to read them first!
June 28, 2023
My husband, who is probably the most serious-seeming person that most people who know him have met, bought this book secondhand when we were first married because the picture on the front was so adorable. (Specifically, the way Space Cat's space-suit was designed around his tail.) I read it out loud to him in the car while we were on a road trip. It's silly and dated and awesome. I would sooner part with every electronic device I own than get rid of this book.
March 19, 2015
Part 2 in the "Space Cat" series, "Space Cat Visits Venus" was another wonderful journey into the kitschy 50's sci-fi version of outer space. Who knew that Venus was inhabited by telepathic plants who thrived on daily ammonia rains? Well, I know it now thanks to this sassy feline. Space Cat is my new hero!!
August 16, 2018
I just adored this book. It had cat's and science, so I was in heaven. I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to enjoy this book!
December 20, 2024
The second entry in the delightful SPACE CAT series. Having been to the Moon and back, Flyball and his "guardian," Colonel Fred Stone, are now bound for the clouded planet, Venus, to see what is under that world' dense layer of clouds. They find life-aplenty, because Venus is a world of plants that are nourished by ammonia rain. The plants are friendly--at least, most of them are...
Dated now, unfortunately, the book is still fun to read. It's a simplistic tale, but one that I loved when I was a child. Now that I'm all grown up, I have made it my business to collect all the books I enjoyed when I was very young. There are 4 Space Cat books, and I mean to have them all. :-)
Dated now, unfortunately, the book is still fun to read. It's a simplistic tale, but one that I loved when I was a child. Now that I'm all grown up, I have made it my business to collect all the books I enjoyed when I was very young. There are 4 Space Cat books, and I mean to have them all. :-)
September 23, 2018
I adore this series and am so glad it's being reprinted. Every illustration is worthy of framing.
July 3, 2018
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Written in 1958, this is a beloved book to many for a good reason: it is beautifully illustrated, has a fun story, and the author put in as much as was known about space travel at the time (remember, no one would go to the moon until 1968). Of course we know much more about the galaxy, space travel, and the planets now, making this book's outdated aspects all the more charming as a result. It's a book to read to kids to get their imagination and adventure stirring while the enjoy the wonderful illustrations.Story: Space Cat Flyball has conquered the moon! But then astronaut Fred Stone prepares for a trip to Venus! Flyball already proved himself as an astrocat and is hoping to find tasty mice there. But what they do find is amazing and fantastical. Can Fred and Flyball the Spacecat save the indigenous species from a hostile invader plant from another planet?!?
So yes, this story is very sweet and fun. From scientific descriptions of ammonia clouds and different gravity, to the more imaginative psychic plants and three-legged mice. We get wonderful moments and one has to appreciate all the care that Ruthven Todd put into the story. Flyball's adventures, a four book series, are a joy to read.
The illustrations, of course, are a huge asset. Flyball is somewhat anthropomorphic but most of the time looks like your ordinary tiger-striped cat. In this second book in the series, Fred and Flyball can communicate thanks to a plant so they can share their adventures and explorations together. Perhaps the cutest illustration is of Fred enjoying smoking a pipe in the spaceship while Flyball sleeps in his lap. Ah, the 1950s - it reminded me so much of the future world that Disneyland once promised us.
In all, truly wonderful and a treasure to be handed down through the years. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
August 7, 2018
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Flyball, the Space Cat is no longer a stranger to space as he now lives in Luna Port on the moon in this second book in Ruthven Todd's easy reader series. Now Flyball and his human, Fred Stone, are on a mission to investigate Venus - the most earth-like planet (other than Earth) in the solar system.
Flyball is much more accustomed to weightlessness now, so the trip to Venus is a piece of cake. But the gravity of Venus becomes a challenge. Even though it's much like Earth's gravity, Flyball had gotten to like the weightlessness of the moon.
Even Fred Stone didn't really know what to expect when landing on Venus and the ammonia rain that greets them gets their adventure off to a rough start! But soon they meet some interesting plants that can speak to them through telekinesis. Not only can the plants talk to both Fred and Flyball, but they are able to connect the two, so now Fred knows precisely what Flyball is thinking.
Like the first book, this is just goofy fun. The science is even more 'off' here than it was in the first book, but when you're talking about a cat that is travelling in space, I think science has gone out the window all together. We must remember that these books were written even before the Russians sent a dog into space.
Paul Galdone's artwork, as with the first book, is appropriate and very period. Early readers will enjoy the chance to look at the pictures while reading. I will say that I laughed heartily at one picture in which Fred Stone, at the controls on his space ship, sat relaxing in a chair and smoking a pipe. Very 1950's indeed!
Looking for a good book? Ruthven Todd's second book in the Space Cat series, Space Cat Visits Venus is as delightful and innocent as the first and beginning readers will enjoy the exploits of this cat in space.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Flyball, the Space Cat is no longer a stranger to space as he now lives in Luna Port on the moon in this second book in Ruthven Todd's easy reader series. Now Flyball and his human, Fred Stone, are on a mission to investigate Venus - the most earth-like planet (other than Earth) in the solar system.
Flyball is much more accustomed to weightlessness now, so the trip to Venus is a piece of cake. But the gravity of Venus becomes a challenge. Even though it's much like Earth's gravity, Flyball had gotten to like the weightlessness of the moon.
Even Fred Stone didn't really know what to expect when landing on Venus and the ammonia rain that greets them gets their adventure off to a rough start! But soon they meet some interesting plants that can speak to them through telekinesis. Not only can the plants talk to both Fred and Flyball, but they are able to connect the two, so now Fred knows precisely what Flyball is thinking.
Like the first book, this is just goofy fun. The science is even more 'off' here than it was in the first book, but when you're talking about a cat that is travelling in space, I think science has gone out the window all together. We must remember that these books were written even before the Russians sent a dog into space.
Paul Galdone's artwork, as with the first book, is appropriate and very period. Early readers will enjoy the chance to look at the pictures while reading. I will say that I laughed heartily at one picture in which Fred Stone, at the controls on his space ship, sat relaxing in a chair and smoking a pipe. Very 1950's indeed!
Looking for a good book? Ruthven Todd's second book in the Space Cat series, Space Cat Visits Venus is as delightful and innocent as the first and beginning readers will enjoy the exploits of this cat in space.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2023
First sentence: Flyball was the only cat in Luna Port, the first city built on the Moon. He was the only cat on the whole Moon. And he was a famous cat, for with his friend Captain Fred Stone, now Colonel Stone, he had travelled on the first rocket ever to go from Earth to the Moon.
Premise/plot: Flyball (the cat) and Colonel Fred Stone (the human) are the first to travel to Venus in this early chapter book originally published in 1955. In the first book, these two become the first to travel to the Moon. In fact, these two now live on the Moon--at least part time. But now in this second book, they are getting ready for more firsts. The rocket that will send them to Venus is being built on the Moon. And soon these two will be on their way. What will they find?
My thoughts: I was so disappointed in this second book. I found the first book charming enough. I did. This second one was slightly duller than I'd prefer. What they find on Venus is plants, plants, and more plants. Granted some of these plants are highly evolved and communicative. There's one that can read thoughts, for example. But at the end of the day, the two are just essentially looking at a lot of exotic space plants. Flyball also seems less cat-like in this one. Perhaps because the first book started with him being just a normal, super-curious cat that happened to wander into Fred Stone's life and just happened to become a space-travelling kitty. The origin story works for me better than this.
Premise/plot: Flyball (the cat) and Colonel Fred Stone (the human) are the first to travel to Venus in this early chapter book originally published in 1955. In the first book, these two become the first to travel to the Moon. In fact, these two now live on the Moon--at least part time. But now in this second book, they are getting ready for more firsts. The rocket that will send them to Venus is being built on the Moon. And soon these two will be on their way. What will they find?
My thoughts: I was so disappointed in this second book. I found the first book charming enough. I did. This second one was slightly duller than I'd prefer. What they find on Venus is plants, plants, and more plants. Granted some of these plants are highly evolved and communicative. There's one that can read thoughts, for example. But at the end of the day, the two are just essentially looking at a lot of exotic space plants. Flyball also seems less cat-like in this one. Perhaps because the first book started with him being just a normal, super-curious cat that happened to wander into Fred Stone's life and just happened to become a space-travelling kitty. The origin story works for me better than this.
March 28, 2023
This is the second Space Cat title. It is really adorable although, of course dated. In it Space Cat goes with Fred, his human, to Venus, in the first rocket ship there. Lots of space is dedicated to explaining how much further Venus is than the moon, and why it makes sense to use the moon rather than earth for space voyages. It’s too bad we hadn’t done what the author assumes and take further fights in a series rather than pretty much quitting after we reached the moon! The story is cute and imaginative. Of course I especially loved the translation flower which allows Space Cat and Fred to actually converse telepathically! There’s some excitement in the book as Space cat, rather to his embarrassment, saved a blue mouse like creature from the foreign to Venus nasty bully plant! If you can find it, it is adorable, with great illustrations by Galdone! Definitely and rather wistfully recommended!
September 10, 2019
The second book in the Space Cat series is a delightful children's story. In the first book, Space Cat stowed away on an airplane, was adopted by a passenger who happened to be an astronaut, and eventually went to the moon. In this book, Flyball (Space Cat) and Colonel Fred (he was Captain Fred in the first book, but has since been promoted) journey from their moon base to the planet Venus, where they encounter a civilization of plants. This was a lot of fun, even better than the first book in the series.
May 19, 2022
A great story for kids ( even 1 70 years old)
The first book in this series I read 62 years ago when I made the incredible discovery about books. I never could remember the name of these books until I saw one on display at the Marshal Space center. My thanks to the people responsible for making this series available. A nice journey returning to my childhood.
Bill Hodges
The first book in this series I read 62 years ago when I made the incredible discovery about books. I never could remember the name of these books until I saw one on display at the Marshal Space center. My thanks to the people responsible for making this series available. A nice journey returning to my childhood.
Bill Hodges
July 10, 2018
At first, I was kind of disappointed, because I thought this would be about a human-sized anthropomorphic cat who flies a spaceship, rather than the exceptionally clever pet of an astronaut. However, the book's wildly creative descriptions of life on Venus won me over, and it was a lot of fun.
October 29, 2020
Very funny book and ahead of its time in 1954. Who wouldn't want to bring a cat on a space mission? And Flyball is so cute and brave.
I can't wait for Space Cat to visit Uranus next! (Sorry, I couldn't resist).
I can't wait for Space Cat to visit Uranus next! (Sorry, I couldn't resist).
June 25, 2018
A pretty good story with some lovable characters. You will love to read this with your young ones again and again. Would recommend.
April 19, 2019
Obviously a very dated treatment of Venus, but a highly creative outing in exploring what alien life forms might be like.
April 18, 2020
"A space-flight without Space Cat would be sure to fail!" Another grand adventure of Space Cat with talking plants and helpful mice on Venus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2021
Cats, space exploration, and general optimism; a perfect children's book.
January 5, 2022
Love these old books where it could never happen!
October 7, 2023
Perelandra for cats
Read
May 28, 2024Still as delightful as the first time I read it in 1983. My wife and children loved it, too!
February 7, 2017
The Space Cat adventures are some of my son's favorite books.
January 13, 2023
A fanciful imagining of what an astronaut and his space cat, Flyball, find on a trip to Venus, where they encounter ammonia rain, plant life that can communicate, and a dangerous plant that nearly kills Flyball. Fun and imaginative.
Second in the Space Cat series. Read via Hoopla.
Second in the Space Cat series. Read via Hoopla.
January 16, 2008
What I learned from this book: Space Cat = love. And even telepathic plants get into jams sometimes.
November 28, 2012
Flyball makes a great role model for any feline. First cat on the Moon, sole feline on Luna City, first cat on Venus, and he makes first contact--twice!
May 30, 2013
Loved this just as much as the first Space Cat book!
December 23, 2016
Telepathic plants allow space cat and Colonel Fred Stone to hear each other's thoughts.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews