• Age: 7 to 10
• Grade: 2 to 5
• Reading age: 7 to 10

It's all up to Gordon now. His partner has been captured. His superior officer has been neutralized. And his distress calls to P.U.R.S.T. (Pets of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) have gone unanswered. That means he must fight the aliens alone! But Gordon's not a fighter --- his deadliest weapon is his mind. So what's a genius dog to do? Time travel, of course! He'll use his new time machine to travel back in time, then he can stop the invasion before it happens. But there's a malfunction: instead of sending him back five days, the time machine sends him back five years! And now he's out of fuel! With only his wits to depend on, can Gordon get back to the future in time to save his friends and his humans?

This laugh-out-loud junior graphic novel is part of Ashley Spires's hugely popular P.U.R.S.T. Adventure series. Gordon the dog is a favorite character from Spires's companion series about Binky the cat. Not too text-heavy, these titles are perfect for emerging readers, though the nonstop action, melodrama and physical comedy make them popular with all children (and adults, too!). With lots of details to look for in the artwork --- such as hilarious sound effects and animal facial expressions --- these titles are terrific for developing visual literacy in beginning readers. This story showcases the character education attributes of responsibility, courage and perseverance.

Ashley Spires est diplômé de l'Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design. Artiste touche à tout, elle a créé des sites Internet, des livres et des marionnettes. Elle est auteure et illustratrice de plusieurs livres dont Quel génie!, la série Basile le chat de l'espace,Petit Paul, Chien recherche garçon et André est débordé. Ashley a également illustré Le Labo des malins par Shar Levine et Leslie Johnstone. Elle vit à Delta, en Colombie-Britannique.

Ashley Spires earned her BFA at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and went on to earn a graduate diploma in illustration from Sheridan College. She is also the illustrator of Binky the Space Cat. Ashley lives in British Columbia, but you can find her at www.ashleyspires.com.

Ashley Spires' profile page

• Winner, Chocolate Lily Award - Chapter Book/Early Novel Category
• Commended, Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College
• Winner, Best Books for Kids and Teens, The Canadian Children's Book Centre

As Gordon would think: more fun than a game of ball.

Kirkus Reviews

... an easy, light read ...

CM Magazine

Spires once more offers strong writing, and her adorable and quirky cartoon illustrations are well composed.

School Library Journal

... ridiculous in the best way and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Booklist

... fun and appealing for emerging readers and adults alike.

Quebec Library Association

This fun and quirky story is a great introduction to the graphic novel format for readers looking to move on from picture books.

Resource Links

Children and teachers alike will find this fast-paced science fiction adventure engaging as they get to know its cast of personable characters.

School Library Connection