Author: Steven Kroll
Illustrator: Friso Henstra
Year: 1981
Publisher: Avon Books
Space Cats is a quirky sci-fi/animal mash-up: Perry befriends a cat that’s not just domestic but cosmic. The feline comes from another planet, and before long Perry is swept into an adventure far beyond backyard fences. On a distant world he encounters not only friendly cats but also their fierce white rivals — and even finds himself caught in the middle of their feud.
Friso Henstra’s illustrations set the tone: fantastical, sharply graphic, almost carved in line and color. The cats appear both comical and grand, their world built with imagery that hints at steampunk yet remains distinctly Henstra’s. Strange, dryly funny, and memorable, the art makes this space fairy tale stand apart.