Dian Curtis Regan | The Children’s Book Review | July 20, 2015
In Space Boy and his Dog, Niko and his crew (Tag, his dog, and Radar, his trusty robot copilot) search for a lost cat on the moon.
Why the moon?
I’ve always been fascinated with the moon. The memory of sitting in front of a television on July 20, 1969, holding my breath while a REAL spaceship settled onto the dusty surface of the moon is etched in my mind.
Today, thanks to the wonders of special effects, zipping through space and visiting other planets is a commonplace occurrence in films. Yet we know it’s only Hollywood make-believe.
But on that day, forty-six years ago, it was the real deal. I’ve never forgotten it.
However, I must confess that my fascination with the moon started long before the moon landing. How many times, growing up, was I told that my namesake, Diana, was the Goddess of the Moon?
I was named after the Moon Goddess! This had to be a good thing. But what did it mean?
Did classmates see me as mysterious? Ethereal? Powerful? No. What it meant was a whole lot of teasing from those classmates. That’s all.
Neil Armstrong was the first to put his footprints on the moon. But Space Boy and his crew dash all over the moon, searching for a lost cat.
Along the way, they consult with the Man in the Moon in one of my favorite illustrations:
“They ask the Man in the Moon. The Man in the Moon says, ‘The cat went thataway!’
They search thataway. No cat.”
I recall what a relief it was when the human travelers on the first moon mission arrived safely back on Earth. A bit of that feeling was still with me when Niko and the gang touched down safely on Planet Home.
And the only thing that really surprises me about the connections between the moon, Space Boy, and me are those 46 years. Oh—and the Goddess part . . . .
Be sure to look for the next two adventures with Space Boy: Space Boy and the Space Pirate (2016) and Space Boy and the Snow Monster (2017).
Dian Curtis Regan is the author of more than 60 books for young readers, including The Snow Blew Inn, Rocky Cave Kids, Monster of the Month Club, Barnyard Slam, and the bestselling Princess Nevermore. Her books have received many honors, including Best Books for Young Adults, Los Angeles Times Recommended Book, and Children’s Choice Awards. For more information on her books, and to download a free curriculum guide, visit diancurtisregan.com and spaceboybooks.com.
Space Boy and his Dog
Written by Dian Curtis Regan
Illustrations by Robert Neubecker
Publisher’s Synopsis: Niko may live on boring old Earth with his family, but he’s always finding a new adventure. Using the spaceship that he built from a box in his backyard and a little imagination, he flies off into space with his robot, Radar, and his dog, Tag. The only one NOT invited is his sister Posh who keeps trying to insert herself into Niko’s story. In this first mission, Niko and crew (and maybe also pesky Posh) fly to the moon in search of a lost cat. Illustrated in comic–book style and featuring easy–to–read text packed with humor, Space Boy and His Dog is Niko’s first adventure, with two more books planned in the series.
Ages 3-7 | Publisher: Boyds Mills Press | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1590789551
Dian Curtis Regan, author of Space Boy and his Dog, wrote this article: Children’s Picture Book Author Inspired by Humans Landing on the Moon. Discover more articles on The Children’s Book Review tagged with Books About Dogs, Picture Books and Books About Space.
