- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–10
- Science Fiction
Star Cat
Book 1 of 3 in Star CatView the full series
A brilliantly silly space-comedy graphic novel about Captain Spaceington and the crew of the SS Star Cat. Ideal for readers who like absurd sci-fi, quick visual jokes and Phoenix-style comic energy.
- Best for7–10
- FormatGraphic
- Length208 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr40 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Absurdist
- Adventurous
- Exciting
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Captain Spaceington commands the SS Star Cat through the furthest reaches of space, where danger, nonsense and extremely odd aliens are never far away. The crew's missions are less sleek Star Trek professionalism and more high-speed comic disaster, with James Turner's joke-dense writing and Yasmin Sheikh's bright, expressive artwork giving the book a strong gag-per-page rhythm.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–10
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 7–10
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Funny graphic novel
- Space comedy
- Phoenix comic
- Reluctant readers
- Absurd humour
Avoid if
- Wants realistic stories
- Wants calm bedtime
- Dislikes absurd humour
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Struggling with reading
- Interested in science
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A wacky sci-fi comic series — a reluctant-reader pleaser and classroom-library staple.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is Captain Spaceington — the SS Star Cat off into the furthest reaches, missions less Star Trek and more high-speed comic disaster, extremely odd aliens turning up in every panel. The Phoenix Comic strip collected for a 7+ reader who wants gag-per-page space comedy.
- Adventure and freedom
- Animal companions
- Secret world
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
The James Turner / Yasmin Sheikh Phoenix comic — joke-dense writing, bright expressive art, reliable graphic-novel comedy for the 7+ shelf. Award-class silly. Strong reluctant-reader entry.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Star Cat.
3 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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