In which trek reviews Warrior Cats

Neatnik and I have both been devouring Erin Hunter's Warrior Cats books this summer. There are currently three completed series and one in progress. Additionally, the author has written three super editions and four field guides to accompany and enrich the series volumes.

Into the Wild,Midnight,Bluestar's Prophecy

The Warriors books are written at a sixth grade reading level with the series books having about 300 pages each. Super edition volumes weigh in at a hefty 500+ pages each. Neatnik, 7 years old and entering third grade in the fall, has had no difficulties with the vocabulary nor the content. I will admit that over the course of the 15 books she has finished so far, I can remember her asking for the definition of two or three new words.

Distilled down to their bare bones, the Warriors books describe the lives of four bands of feral cats and their warrior ancestors who play the role of spiritual guardians.

The social structure of the Clans appears to be modeled on the tribal hierarchy of the Native American Indians. Cats' roles within their respective clans are designated mostly by age and destiny.

Newborn cats are known as kits until they reach six moon of age at which time they become apprentices. A Clan cat's apprenticeship lasts until they are deemed worthy of promotion to warrior status. This period of training seems to coincide with growth to full adult stature though an apprentice may be promoted to warrior sooner, say following an heroic act. In the case of injury or illness, an apprentice may have to wait a bit longer to attain full warrior status.

Clans are lead by the Clan leader who is supported and assisted by the Clan's deputy, the heir to power, and the Clan's medicine cat. Elders, those cats too old or too battle scarred to hunt and patrol any longer, are treated as a valuable resource and honored for their past achievements by being cared for by the Clan in general with the apprentices usually caring for their day-to-day needs.

Medicine cats treat the elder's ailments with berries and herbs. Medicine cats also assist when she-cats, known as queens, are delivering their kits, treat infectious diseases and battle wounds, and serve as a speaker for messages from StarClan.

Clan cats generally have no use, but a lot of contempt, for kittypets. Kittypet is the Clan cat term for what we would call house cats. Kittypets are looked down upon by Clan cats because they are dependent upon Twolegs for both food and shelter and do not follow the warrior code.

Against this climate, Into the Wildbegins with a young kittypet named Rusty. Rusty is an adventurous kitten who has intense dreams of hunting in the forest beyond his fenced yard. Bluestar, grey-blue she-cat who is leader of ThunderClan, sees something important in this kittypet and invites him to join her clan. He is apprenticed to Lionheart and given the name Firepaw, so named for his flaming orange pelt. After Lionheart's death, Bluestar herself becomes Firepaw's mentor.

Warriors follows Firepaw's life within ThunderClan, his apprenticeship, his time as a Clan warrior, his deputyship, and eventually, his succession of Bluestar as Clan leader. Despite his loyalty to ThunderClan, there are those cats who refuse to see him as anything more than a soft kittypet, causing Firepaw to have to work twice as hard just to be seen as good as his forest born Clanmates. The reader follows along as Firepaw learns the warrior code, how to hunt, and how to protect himself and his Clanmates from the dangers in the forest.

The Warriors books deliver a subtle message about prejudice and rising above it. They are also great examples of well-done anthropomorphization; neither sappy nor laid on as a veneer. It was so good, in fact, that I found myself tearing up when certain cats were called to walk with StarClan. Highly recommended!

Excuse me, I have to go find out what happens in Firestar's Quest
right now.