The Spacedog Cometh

Klawde is not an average cat. He’s an exiled emperor from across the universe. Klawde spends his days plotting his revenge. He will use any means possible to return to his homeland. Klawde is cruel. He’s cunning. He’s also his human’s best friend.

As Klawde plots his cosmic revenge, the space dog Barx arrives on Earth. Barx plans to take Klawde back to his home planet, where Klawde will be punished for his crimes. Unlike Klawde, Barx is loyal and an overall good boy. He also loves to play catch. Barx is determined to bring Klawde to justice. Will the ferocious feline be able to avoid justice?

While Klawde is focused on evading Barx, Raj is faced with his own out-of-town visitor. Although his grandmother is from Earth, she may be even more formidable than Klawde. When Raj’s grandmother plans a birthday party for Raj, he is convinced that the party will lead to the ultimate embarrassment.

Klawde: The Spacedog Cometh brings in two new characters—Barx and Raj’s grandmother. Raj’s grandmother showers Raj with love. She not only begins packing him traditional Indian lunches, but she also invites his entire class to a birthday party that will feature traditional Indian food. Raj loves his grandmother enough not to complain, but he still worries about being different than his classmates. Raj’s relationship with his grandmother leads to some funny, awkward, and surprising situations.

As Raj is trying to survive his grandmother’s visit, Klawde is up to no good. He is convinced that torturing Barx is the key to returning to his home planet. The contrast between Klawde and Barx is amusing and leads to many fight-and-chase scenes. As Klawde and Barx create chaos, Raj doesn’t know if Klawde is being honest or not. After all, Klawde has told him, “Lies are the sharpest arrows in the warrior’s quiver” and “The truth is whatever I say it is.”

Klawde: The Spacedog Cometh continues the engaging, comical story of Klawde. The new characters keep the plot fresh and exciting. Although Klawde’s plans don’t turn out as he had hoped, the conclusion is heartwarming and proves that Klawde will never change. The story continues in the same action-packed format as the previous books. The engaging story has short paragraphs, easy vocabulary, and hilarious blue-and-black illustrations. Not only do the illustrations help the reader imagine the story’s events, but they also highlight Klawde’s various emotions of misery, distaste, and disgust.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• When Raj brings a dog home, Klawde attacks him. “SLASH! I struck the dog’s nose, claws fully extended. The beast’s eyes snapped open as it yelped in shock and pain. When it saw me, it began to growl, a low rumble that sounded like thunder. Then it charged! Only my superior feline reflexes kept me from the death trap of its snapping jaws.” Klawde hides in his litter box. When the dog follows, “I began to kick up sand with my back paws, creating such a flurry that the canine was blinded.” Klawde eventually races away from the dog, and jumps on Raj’s grandmother’s head. The fight is described over three pages.
• Klawde calls the dog a “slobbering moron.” In response, the dog bites Klawde’s tail. “The pain—it was like my tail had been blasted by a Zzaxxannian laser torpedo! Fortunately, my cry of agony so surprised Barx that he loosened his grip.” Klawde gets away by climbing a tree.
• When Klawde finds the dog sleeping, he “bit him on the leg.” The dog doesn’t respond; instead, “Barx merely yawned.”
• Klawde hides in the bathroom. When Barx comes into the bathroom to drink from the toilet, Klawde attacks. Klawde “sprang from my hiding place, claws fully extended! My left paw slashed Barx’s nose, my right his ear. Barx stumbled backwards in shock.” The dog chases Klawde, who climbs onto the mantel and “flung down a stack of books that the father-ogre kept there. They hit Barx on the shoulder, and he yelped in anger.” Raj’s grandmother shows up and stops the fighting. The fight is described over four pages.
• Klawde demands that Barx returns to his home planet. When Barx refuses, Klawde calls him a bad dog. “A low growl started in Barx’s throat, and the fur along his spine began to rise. . . ‘Don’t you growl at me!’ I said, slashing him across his hideous snout. Barx bared every single one of his deadly teeth.” Then, Klawde ran from Barx.
• When Klawde returns to his home planet, the other cats attack. “Just then, the escape pod started to rock. We were being swarmed by the infuriated mob. . .The mob was clawing at the hatch, trying to pry it open.” Klawde makes a desperate last-minute call to Raj, who comes and saves him.

Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• In his thoughts, Klawde often calls others names. The characters also call each other names, including moron, idiot, jerk, dimwit, imbecile, fool, cowardly scoundrel, dolt, fraud, sniveling charlatan, vile flatterer, and two-faced mongrel.
• Heck is used three times. For example, when Raj takes a traditional Indian meal to school, someone asks him, “What the heck is that?”
• When Klawde keeps saying “sit,” Barx says, “Dang it!”
• Darn is used once. Barx says, “Klawde did something pretty darn awful in my solar system. . .”
• When Raj sees the lights from a spaceship he thinks, “No. . . freaking. . .way.”

Supernatural

• None

Spiritual Content

• None