EDITOR’S PICKThis delightful, imaginative story by Ness centers on the intergalactic adventures of 13-year-old Rolo, a “juvenile male hooman” headed for Earth from his home planet of Blorx, where he’s been raised as a pet. Accompanied by his quagling, Quiggles, Rolo is desperate to see if hoomans can really live “off-leash” on Earth, as the stories say. However, the pair immediately runs into trouble when they meet catlings — horse-sized cats that make up Earth’s police force — who arrest Rolo for illegal spacecraft parking and harboring an unlicensed pet. That spells disaster, as Rolo is sent to the pound and Quiggles is scheduled to be euthanized. But a daring escape and a chance encounter with earthling Ailey change their fortunes.
Middle-grade readers will embrace Ness’s entertaining world, brought to vivid life by Sofia Komarenko’s lively illustrations, where cats are in charge and humans are subjugated. Rolo and Quiggles meet a slew of colorful characters in their escapades as they find refuge on a flying circus ship, run into magical artifacts that promise them entrance to an underground world called Zorx (where Rolo’s ancestors may be living), and dodge the dangers of bounty hunter Wicks and her gang of apes. Rolo, who expected Earth to welcome him with open arms and point him to his ancestors, quickly learns the universe is a much larger — and more dangerous — place than he ever imagined. He sums up his frustration in pitch-perfect teenage lingo: “Quiggles, Earth sucks.”
Though action-packed and loads of fun, Ness’s follow-up to Rolo the Pet Earthling offers shrewd insights as well, drawn from the inhumane treatment earthlings receive at the hands of the ruling cats. The book’s awareness of pet population practices hits home, but equally important is its message about found families and appreciating what you have, marking this series as one to watch.Takeaway: Cats rule the universe in this lively intergalactic tale.
A boy finds danger, adventure, and friendship on an Earth ruled by felines in Ness’ middle-grade SF novel, one in a series.
In this entertaining sequel to the SF adventure Rolo the Pet Earthling (2023), 13-year-old Rolo escapes the planet Blorx (where “hoomans” are pets) and lands on Earth, accompanied by his brainy, one-eyed, multi-limbed companion Quiggles. Expecting to meet free “hoomans,” Rolo learns that felines now dominate the Earth. After being hauled to the vet for a rough tongue bath and vaccinations, he is taken before a judge who rules that, because he’s beyond his “cute years” and too old to be adopted, he is to be locked up in the “Litterpool Pound for Stray Hoomans.” Rolo escapes, stows away on a sky-ship belonging to the elephantlike Madame Marvelli and her Fantastical Flying Circus, and is discovered by prickly 11-year-old human Ailey, who performs with the troupe. Ailey agrees to help him find the legendary home of Earthlings who went underground generations before.
The book is a wild ride filled with humor and action, but Ness adds emotional depth with Rolo’s inherent optimism, the pain behind Ailey’s prickliness, and the reasons for Madam Marvelli’s kindness and understanding (and bounty hunter Wicks’ cruelty). Feline behavioral quirks are delightfully on display: Wicks (whose apelike minions’ repartee is a hoot) is distracted by a laser pointer; a cat watches “funny hooman” videos; a tabby baker blissfully kneads dough; Rolo’s judge deliberately knocks a cup of pens off the bench; and a human catnip smuggler is sentenced to scoop litter boxes. There’s a bit of shivery horror in the mix, too, as the author (in the voice of an unnamed feline narrator) explains that humans’ rampant genetic tinkering in the 2100s led the now-sentient cats to rebel during the “Night of the Billion Claws,” reducing humanity by two thirds and ushering in the “great Felion Empire.” The epilogue includes an intriguing teaser for the next book in the series, involving Rolo’s encounter with a pirate crew of outcast canine “houndrels.” Komarenko’s vivid, imaginatively conceived digital illustrations complement the action.
An enjoyable SF fantasy with a likable young protagonist, memorable characters, heart, and humor.
Midwest Book Review
D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer Rolo on the Planet of the Cats continues the adventures of Rolo who grew up as a pet on an alien planet in the first book, Rolo the Pet Earthling. Here Rolo discovers the mythical planet Earth, in search of his ancestors, only to find that the cats have overthrown the hoomans and claimed the planet as their own.
Rolo flees the pound, only to find his adventure further expanded by his meeting with Ailey, who offers to help Rolo locate his people if he will help her flee Earth and its cat overlords.
In short order there appears a fortune-telling elephant, a friendly one-eyed alley cat, and all kinds of encounters that place Rolo and Ailey in dangerous situations packed with tension, from locating the magical Zorx key and stowing away on a ship to confronting dangerous cats.
Illustrator Sofia Komarenko captures the action with colorful drawings peppered throughout, which kids will appreciate.
Hans Ness takes the time to inject play and humor into the story, creating important moments of creative comic relief:
“En garde!” yelled Rolo, standing on a table, thrusting a long banana-fish toward Ailey. (A banana-fish is a meat-fruit shaped like a long banana, with an outer peel of silvery scales and tasty meat inside.) Ailey, too, was on the table, wielding a long fish in one hand and a pan-shield in the other.
This nicely supplements more serious conversations about family, heritage, and the special challenges Rolo and Ailey face as they search out a place in the universe:
After a moment, he said quietly, “I never really knew my parents. That was pretty normal for earthlings back on Blorx. Things are so different here — I’m still trying to figure it out.”
The result is a rollicking ride between a daring escape from cat overlords, an adventure to the lost hooman city, a developing friendship, and the tale of a “stray earthling” seeking a new home.
Libraries seeking a fun, zany sci-fi adventure for advanced elementary to middle-grade readers will find Planet of the Cats a winner, whether it’s chosen as a stand-alone adventure or as a vivid companion to the first Rolo alien world saga.
Rolo on the Planet of the Cats, by Hans Ness, had me immersed by the end of page one, and giggling by page 3. By the end of chapter three, I was sad and scared for Rolo as he discovered his trip may not produce the results he had hoped for.
This story follows Rolo, a young teen “hooman”, as he leaves the only home he has ever known in search of a better life. Along the way, he made friends and enemies. Life did not turn out as he had planned! He was arrested and subsequently broke out of jail, with the help of his best friend and pet Quiggles, ending up in a flying circus by accident. There, he met Ailey, the orphan with an attitude, Scram, the alley cat turned handyman who had a heart of gold, and Madame Marvelli, the owner of the circus, with her own past and secrets to hide.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for not only a great story but also for all the emotions I felt while reading. This was an unexpected reaction for a children’s book. Rolo became so real to me that I felt sadness and hope, anger and joy, and finally excitement and defeat, at the same time he did. I loved every character and did not have a favorite. I loved Rolo for his spirit and kindness towards everyone, even when they were mad at him. Ailey was so angry, but she had a feistiness that so much fun. She was tough and not willing to give up, no matter what life threw at her. Miggy, Morby, and Moobu were hilarious, even though they were supposed to be the bad guys. I loved the way they talked to each other, and their accents were charming. Scram grew up as an orphaned alley cat, but he did not let his rough beginning affect his love of others. Quiggles was a funny and loyal pet and friend to Rolo.
I loved the play on words such as Catue of Liberty and Catlantic Ocean. This felt like a post-apocalyptic era but with a twist. The book having been written for children just made it that much better and different from other post-apocalyptic books I have read. I would recommend this book to ages eight and up. There are not a lot of illustrations, which may make it less appealing to the younger crowd, but the ones that are there are beautifully done. One line in the book stood out to me as something I want to remember and pass on to others as it was very profound. Moobu the aper was talking and said:
“Like they says, boss: You can blame your past for making you who you are. But you can only blame yourself for staying that way.”
Must Read — A humorous middle-grade fantasy that explores a planet where cats rule as a young boy desperately searches for a place to belong.
Rolo the thirteen-year-old hooman has set off to explore Earth in the hope of finding his hooman ancestors. After spending his early years as a pet on Blorx, he hopes to find a home with a family who accepts him. Unfortunately, things are not as he expected since Earth is no longer under hooman control. In a new society where cats rule and hoomans have been reduced to servants, Rolo’s unconventional arrival lands him in trouble with the authorities. With the help of his little green alien friend, Quiggles, Rolo winds up on the run, finding friends and avoiding the bounty hunter who wants to send him to the pound. When a new friend offers the answers he seeks, Rolo may finally have the means to find the family he’s always wanted. But can the promise of finding the mythical land of his ancestors give the solace he seeks?
Planet of the Cats by Hans Ness is the second novel featuring young Rolo but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone story. In this engaging alliterative adventure, readers will be entertained by the non-stop action and hilarious antics of the characters as they interact with their fascinating world.
The reimagined earth was the purr-fect setting for the dominant cat species to establish their reign of superiority. The role reversal of humans and cats makes for numerous laugh-out-loud moments throughout the novel. The author captured so many spot-on cat tendencies and watching those behaviors play out in human-sized anthropomorphic cats was pure delight! The author's tone also made the quirks and personalities of the characters shine as they pursued their goals in search of what they thought would bring them true happiness.
As often in middle-grade novels, the object Rolo thinks will bring his life significance drives him throughout the story. His desire to be more than whom he’s perceived to be and to find a place where he belongs is relatable. Yet, as the book progresses, it becomes clear that Rolo has a much more valuable lesson to learn about friendship and finding the family he desperately desires. His action-packed adventure brings him to a heartwarming conclusion that will leave readers embracing the meaning of family and home.
This well-paced book is suited to its target audience but may appeal to adult readers who enjoy light-hearted adventures. I’d recommend the story to teachers and parents looking for engaging books for reluctant readers. The themes of found family, finding a place to call home, and cherishing the people around you deliver a heartfelt message for young readers who are trying to find their place in the world and understand the motivations of the grownups in their lives.
There is one slightly graphic passage that describes the early cats eating the innards of humans, but the brief description is only about a few sentences long followed by a picture of a cat licking blood-spattered fur clean. The remainder of the book is clean and includes whimsical images that bring the descriptions in the narrative to life. The epilogue indicates the continuation of the series, an exciting promise for more well-loved escapades to come! This book easily earns five out of five stars for well-executed delivery and editing excellence.
