- Comedy
- Graphic Novels
- Ages 5–8
The shape of it
The shape of this universe.
Pluto Rocket is Paul Gilligan's joke-packed early graphic novel series, built for readers graduating from Elephant & Piggie into longer comics. It stars Joe Pidge, a wise-cracking street pigeon who thinks he's seen it all, and Pluto Rocket, a friendly alien in disguise on a secret mission to discover what Earthlings are really like. Told almost entirely in speech bubbles, the books run on classic fish-out-of-water comedy, taco-fuelled banter and expressive cartooning from the creator of the comic strip Pooch Café. Under the non-stop gags sits a genuinely tender friendship and reassuring messages about identity, self-worth and giving others a chance. Fast, funny and hugely accessible, it is a reliable confidence-builder for newly independent readers who want to laugh on every page.
A wise-cracking city pigeon shows a friendly alien the ropes in this taco-loving, speech-bubble-driven early graphic novel packed with laughs and heart.
Primary themes
Tone palette
- Funny
- Silly
- Adventurous
- Warm
The series
One way in.
Cultural footprint
A shelf of evidence.
Cultural ubiquity
3/ 5Well-known to people who know the room.
Sensitivity
Low, and collection-wide.
Across the collection
All 4 books.
About the creator