'Space Cat Visits Venus' by Ruthven Todd with illustrations by Paul Galdone is the second book in the whimsical series about a spacefaring cat named Flyball.

When our story starts, Flyball and Colonel Stone are on the moon, but soon they will find themselves flying off to Venus. They fly into the gas cloud around the planet and find a strange new world with new friends and danger.

Written in a time before space travel, these are more science fantasy than science fact, but they are fun stories and Flyball is a great protagonist, always looking for adventure or mice.

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!

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, <em>Space Cat Visits</em> 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.

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.

A pretty good story with some lovable characters. You will love to read this with your young ones again and again. Would recommend.

This was fun and easy read! I think 2nd-5th graders who enjoy the idea of space travel will like this book. It would make a light summer read on hot or rainy afternoons. Flyball (the cat and Colonel Stone make great buddys as they explore the Moon and Venus together. Fun adventure story. Oh, and the illustrations were fun! It's funny to see a cat in a space suit walking upright! And a 6 legged, blue mouse was just great!