One of my guilty pleasures, I have read all three series and eagerly await the fourth. As I describe it to my friends, it's like Harry Potter, but with cats. Young Rusty is a pet cat who leaves his home to join a clan of wild cats living in the nearby forest. What awaits him is a hard lesson in survival, duty, and friendship. The cats are guided by their own code and mythology. Though it seems like a fluff story, Erin Hunter does not shy away from portraying the dangers of a wild life. ( )

READING LEVEL: 5.6 AR POINTS: 10

Into the Wild is the first in the series of six, which I have chosen to read because they are a super hit with the younger kids. My 15 year old granddaughter has read, and loved the series, and my soon to be 10 year old granddaughter is now interested. Her friends have already started and are raving about them. So, I’ll be giving her this first book in the series. There’s a lot to be said when a talking animal book is better and more interesting than more than half the adult fictional books I’ve read so far this year.

This book has a lot of hidden teachable moments for young kids. Hopefully, they will see the importance of truth and honesty, keeping your word, extending yourself out there to help a “good” friend (or person), mainly to just do what’s right, and good will win out over bad, although there may be losses. Not only that, but kids will get just a hint of real cat behavior. How they smell through their mouth with glands inside the roof of their mouths, and how they use their tail for balance. Also, it is a known fact that cats are very territorial, and this is the major theme of the book.

Rusty was a kittypet who came from the human world, the lazy and comfortable place known as Twolegplace. He left this world, his owners, and headed to the woods where he would join up with the ThunderClan gang as an Apprentice Warrior for six full moons before becoming a Warrior, and was given he name Firepaw because of his bright orange coat. He immediately connected with and befriended two other apprentices in training, Graypaw, who was witty and funny, and Ravenpaw, who was a bit insecure in himself. Others in the clan were not so quick to accept a lazy, stinky kittypet into the clan. Firepaw would have a lot to prove, and boy, does he ever prove himself worthy.

Firepaw proves he is a brave and good hunter, but he also proves his devotion to the clan as his tribe and other tribes fight over hunting territory. And Firepaw has to make some tough decisions on how to save his good friend, Ravenpaw, who witnessed a Warrior, Tigerclaw, kill another of their own in hopes of moving up into the second command position, next to the Leader, Bluestar.

Great story! There's plenty of adventure for even for young boys to enjoy this story! ( )

Back in my youth, ALL of the popular kids (and I mean all, geez Louise) loved this book. It was always unavailable at all of the libraries in town so I never got the chance to pick this up. Then one day as an adult, I walk into a charity book shop and see this book sitting there. I think to myself, why not? Why not read this book and see if it was worth the hype?

Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. Which, to be honest, isn't too surprising since I haven't liked any of the books the "popular kids" liked.

Keep in mind, I'm an adult. This book is made for a youthful, middle grade audience and not for me, the goofy adult who wants to jump back into their childhood. I'm sure younger audiences are obsessed with this book (and looking by other reviews, that's clearly correct).

To be blunt, I did not enjoy this book.

Why?
1. Talking animals is one of those hit and miss things for me. I've found some really great books with talking animals, but this book just didn't do it for me.

2. Too many characters with strange names. It was hard to keep track of all of them, even with the little list at the front. It hurt my brain too much.

3. Strange wording. The names were weird, but some of the actual content was strange. Narrowing eyes respectfully was a good one. The meowing being talking also confused me. It's like translating meows into English... can't we just pretend they teach English? It has to be meows? As an adult, I just couldn't grasp the concept. Kids would totally get this.

I absolutely, one hundred percent, recommend this book for kids and middle schoolers. This book is a real gem for the youthful reading community, but not for me. Not as an adult reading this to myself and not to a child. I wish I would have had the opportunity to read this book as a kid, because this totally would have been up my alleyway. I love cats and the fantasy nature of this seems so cool. I totally would have had a little hand written map with all of the names and relationships - I was that sort of weird kid.

I'm sure some people won't appreciate this level of honesty, but seriously. Sometimes books are just not made for us as readers. Oh well, it is what it is!

One out of five stars. ( )

I absolutely love this book! From the start I fell in love with this imaginary world that Erin Hunter created!
I seriously recommend this book and every other Warriors book to anyone of all ages. ( )

Grades 3 to 7
790L