Into the Wild

By Erin Hunter

Animal: Cats

Rating: 4 1/4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

This is the first book in the popular Warriors series. This enthralling story is by turns animal tale, adventure and fantasy. Rusty is a young house cat, interested in the woods beyond his fenceline. When he ventures into them one day he meets Graypaw, one of the famous wild cats who make up four different clans in the forest. Bluestar, leader of the ThunderClan, comes to offer Rusty membership in the clan if he desires, and training as a warrior, for there are not enough wild young ones to maintain the clan's warrior numbers. Rusty accepts, and becomes Firepaw. As Firepaw begins his apprenticeship, he discovers the hard but fulfilling life of a wild cat. But there are many forces at work in the forest--the ShadowClan has driven the WindClan from their territory and seek to make war against ThunderClan, too, for not giving them hunting rights. Firepaw is troubled by dreams which may be prophetic, and he mistrusts one of the clan's own warriors--Tigerclaw--and his ambitions. Will ThunderClan be able to fight back if ShadowClan attacks? Is there a traitor amongst his clanmates? What secret is his friend Ravenpaw hiding? With exciting training and fight sequences, flashes of prophecy, and alliances and betrayals abounding, this is a very good first entry to a series. Fans of this book will want to continue the series with Fire and Ice, and may be interested in another fighting cat, Varjak Paw (see review).

City of Dogs

By Livi Michael

Rated: 4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

When his aunt brings a stray dog to Sam's house on his birthday, Sam immediately wants to keep her. But there is more to the stray he names Jenny than meets the eye. Jenny has escaped from a different parallel world, where saving her master Baldur has lead to the beginning of Ragnorak, the last battle at the end of the world. Jenny recruits some of her new dog friends to set out upon nearly impossible tasks to save not only their world, but all nine worlds. Can Gentleman Jim and Pico find Orion and get him to blow his horn? Can Checkers and Boris meet and defeat Cerebus? Can Flo outwit the wolves before they swallow the sun and the moon? Can Jenny set destiny back on track? This is a mix of fantasy, adventure and a good dog story which will carry readers onwards happily to its exciting conclusion. An animal yarn that is definitely more than you would have imagined it could be. Fun!