• Age: 6 to 9
• Grade: 1 to 4

A cosmic accident has left Burt stranded on Earth . . . or so he says. An early graphic novel of foster care and the meaning of home, for fans of Binky the Space Cat.

Burt is an alien from a distant galaxy with advanced technology, but an accident has made his parents disappear and trapped him on Earth. And no matter what he does, he can't seem to get lowly Earth technology to work well enough to get him home.

That's his story, anyway. From the perspective of his foster mother, Lydia, Burt is a confused and lonely little boy who's difficult to understand and lives in his own world. But she's less focused on understanding him than she is on taking care of and supporting him.

Burt struggles to adjust to his new home, and Lydia tries her best. But when Burt embarks on a plan to teleport home once and for all and ventures into the cold all alone, Lydia will have to find a way to bridge the gulf between them.

John Martz est un bédéiste et un illustrateur. Publié en 2016, son roman illustré A Cat Named Tim et Other Stories a été en lice pour l’obtention du Prix littéraire du Gouverneur général et mis en nomination pour le Prix Eisner dans la catégorie de la meilleure publication pour les lecteurs débutants. Il habite lui aussi à Toronto, en Ontario.

John Martz is a cartoonist and illustrator in Toronto, Ontario. His 2016 graphic novel for children, A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories, was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award and was nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers.

John Martz's profile page

"Beginning readers will absolutely love reading this graphic novel and will find this story intriguing, funny, suspenseful, heartwarming and well-plotted as they practice their reading." —Midwest Book Review
"In [Burt’s Way Home], Martz’s ingenious design of the two perspectives opens the door for interpretations . . . invit[ing] the reader to wonder, to relate, and to turn it into our versions of the story." —CM Reviews

"Sensitive and respectful, this is a great book to have in your collections." —Mom Read It