Parents' Guide to CatStronauts: Mission Moon -- CatStronauts, Book 1

CatStronauts: Mission Moon -- CatStronauts, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Darienne Stewart By Darienne Stewart , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 7+

Successful launch of fun series starring heroic space cats.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 7+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 5+

Based on 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

CATSTRONAUTS: MISSION MOON finds the president of the United States learning about a global energy crisis when the lights in the Oval Office start flickering. He turns to the World's Best Scientist, who proposes building a solar power plant on the moon. The CatStronauts team -- Waffles, Major Meowser, Pom Pom, and Blanket -- are chosen for the high-stakes job. The feline team races through speeded-up training so they can save the world from darkness. But they start running into problems before they even make it to the moon. It's going to take ingenuity, resourcefulness, and teamwork to get the job done -- luckily, the CatStronauts have all that in spades.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 4 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

Author and illustrator Drew Brockington tests the theory that everything is better with cats -- and finds the answer is a cheerful yes with this charming series on a super-team of feline astronauts. In CatStronauts: Mission Moon, Brockington -- a proud Space Camp alum -- strikes upon a winning formula: Start with some solid science, add a sprinkle of history, and throw in plenty of puns. He works in cat jokes throughout the lively text and visual elements, from the floating tuna can progressing across each chapter page to the ball of yarn used to patch a broken part. The squat cats are full of personality, from the always-hungry Waffles to the no-nonsense Major Meowser. Science doesn't get cuter than this.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the cat-centric world of CatStronauts: Mission Moon. Why make this book about cats and not human astronauts?

  • Have you ever been let down by a teammate who lost sight of the goal -- or been the one to let the team down? How did you feel?

  • How does this book compare with other stories you've read or seen about the challenges of space exploration?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

CatStronauts: Mission Moon -- CatStronauts, Book 1 Poster Image

What to Read Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate