Barbary [Paperback]

Vonda N. McIntyre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1988

Orphaned Barbary finds a new home on a space station but runs into difficulties trying to protect her pet cat Mickey.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As orphaned Barbary travels to her new home on a space station, her own problems are dwarfed by the first sighting of an alien spacecraft. The VIPs rushing out to study and possibly greet the approaching ship create enough commotion for Barbary to smuggle her pet cat Mickey on boardagainst the rules. Although this situation threatens to become cloying, McIntyre avoids potential traps as Barbary and her sister deal with being responsible for Mickey. At its best, the combination of excitement about space, living on a frontier, and the down-to-earth mechanical details of zero-G toilets recalls Robert Heinlein's excellent stories for this age group. In her first book for young readers, McIntyre displays the talent that won her acclaim for her adult SF.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6 In this science-fiction adventure, Barbary, a 12-year-old orphan, journeys to the manned orbiting colony Einstein to live with a friend of her mother's and his daughter Heather. The other passengers on the space transport are heading to Einstein to investigate a recently sighted alien ship. When Barbary's cat, whom she stowed aboard the transport, climbs into an exploratory space probe sent from the colony to study the alien ship, Heather and Barbary attempt a rescue and meet the aliens themselves. Almost like a first episode in a to-be-continued television show, the novel consists of a great deal of exposition leading up to the last few pages in which the young girls encounter the aliens. While a number of characters are introduced, there is little space given to their development, even of Barbary herself. Instead McIntyre concentrates on plot details, particularly those involving the hiding of Barbary's cat. The most interesting descriptions are of performing ordinary functions of life in space. Despite its limitations, the novel may be a simple introduction to science fiction for younger readers. Yvonne A. Frey, Peoria Public Library, Ill.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 183 pages
• Publisher: Ace Books; 1st Printing edition (June 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441048862
• ISBN-13: 978-0441048861
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,306,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good book for pre-teen, May 9, 2000

By 

Peggy Giannakopoulou (Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barbary (Hardcover)

I read this book when I was 12 and I loved it. I thought it was the best I had ever read. I read again last week (I'm 16 now) I still thought it was great but not that good. It's about a girl called Barbary who smuggles her pet cat onto a research station. I recomend that you should get this for your selves or your children. Enjoy

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice details on space life, June 18, 2006

By 

S. J. Fuhrman (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbary (Paperback)

This was an engaging book which does a good job at explaining some of the "realities" of life on a space station. The cat is adorable and the girls are nicely characterized. I was somewhat dissatisfied with the treatment of the "visitors" but that's probably as much because I've read many books which take the opposite view as anything else.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader, September 2, 2007

By 

Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barbary (Paperback)

I presume this is supposed to be a young adult type novel. For that, I think I would recommend it. A girl, a space station, cat smuggling, all that sort of thing. Not weighed against everything else in general though.