<div>Sparks! by Ian Boothby and Nina Matsumoto is the bestselling all ages graphic novel series about two cats that want to be heroes, but the public doesn’t think of cats in that way. So they dress up as a robotic dog suit to save people and the world from an evil alien baby. Also it’s narrated by a litter box.
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<div>The first book has sold over 200,000 copies, has won multiple awards and has been translated into multiple languages. It’s a story about rejecting labels and respecting boundaries, while using laugh out loud humour and friendship to deal with trauma. Now it's time to take the book off the page and to the stage!
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<div>We're adapting the series into Sparks! Live, a one hour theatre show involving puppets, live action and comic based special effects. This fundraiser is to cover the costs and work of building the puppets and set as well as rehearsal. Shows are set for this holiday season at The Improv Center on Granville Island in Vancouver.
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<div>Ian Boothby, the writer and co-creator of Sparks! is the writer and director. Ian is an Eisner Award winner for his work on The Simpsons Comics, a Canadian Comedy Award winner for his live comedy sketch company Canadian Content and a Jessie Richardson Award winner for Excellence in Interactive Theatre for High Schools for the touring show Free Willie Shakespeare.
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<div>Pia Guerra is the art director, designing the puppets, sets and special effects. Pia is a Pulitzer Finalist for her cartooning as well as an Eisner, Shuster and Harvey Award winner for her bestselling comic book work. She provided art direction for multiple theatre shows including James Bond Live! Swordplay and the London production of Canuxsploitation.
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<div>The short term goal with Sparks! Live is to create an hour long touring show for Canadian theatres.
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<div>The longer term goal is to adapt Sparks! Live into a touring show for schools and libraries. All the while, making it a production that can performed by nearly anyone regardless of gender, age and race.
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<div>Funding will go into purchasing the material for the puppets, sets and props and heir assembly as well as toward the actors for their rehearsal time.
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<div>Awareness of Sparks! among youth is high. Since its release, Sparks! has been one of the top borrowed juvenile books in Canadian libraries.
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<div><a href="https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/8/5/most-circulated-canadian-books-july-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/8/5/most-circulated-canadian-books-july-2" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/8/5/most-circulated-canadian-books-july-2</a></a> 024-to-july-2025
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<div>Here's some praise for Sparks! series.
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<div>Winner, Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize, 2019
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<div>Winner, Hackmatack Children's Choice Award (Atlantic Canada), 2019
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<div>Winner! The Chocolate Lily Book Award, Chapter Book/Early Novel, 2021-2022
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<div>Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Starred Selection, 2018
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<div>Commended, Resource Links, Best of the Year, 2018
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<div>Commended, OLA Best Bets, 2018
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<div>*"Boothby's background as a comedy writer shows in the tight timing, clever banter, and over-the-top dialogue, while Matsumoto's archly funny cartoons -- buoyant, colorful artwork filled with speedy action, riotous sight gags, and animated character designs -- perfectly complement the script. Ideal for elementary-school readers, this is a natural choice for anyone who loved Dav Pilkey's Dog Man series or Drew Brockington's Catstronauts books." -- Booklist, starred review
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<div>"Tightly spaced panels and frenetic motion lines keep the tension high and the pace quick, and the plethora of onomatopoeia give a dramatic and amusing comic-book feel. Back off, Lassie and Rin Tin Tin; Sparks is on the scene and ready for action." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
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<div>"It's an off-the-wall and very funny adventure with an entertaining odd-couple friendship at its core." -- Publishers Weekly
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<div>"Cat and dog lovers alike will laugh their way to the end of this offering... Recommended for all children's comics collections." -- School Library Journal
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<div>The books are well loved by those who've read them and now we want to make Sparks! Live all that is can be. Like the series, it'll also be something magical and we hope you'll be part of making that happen!
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<div><a href="https://www.sparkscomic.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.sparkscomic.com</a>
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Sparks Live! fundraiser

Sparks Live! fundraiser

Still $8,622 to go. Help us build momentum.