ALA Booklist (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

Cats, cats, and more cats. (And a few dogs and whatnot.) That's the gist of the multiple series penned by Hunter, the name bestowed to a group of writers who churn out the animal adventures in droves. In fact, there are so many feral felines with given names in these books, most adults would need a spreadsheet to keep the kitties straight. Not so the books' rabid fans. This entry in the Dawn of the Clans subseries follows Gray Wing, who is charged with finding a new home for his clan, currently starving in their traditional homeland. As the young cats in Gray Wing's group journey through varied terrain, much of the action involves seeking prey, being prey, and encountering other felines who may or may not be friendly. Tension also builds around rivalries for mates. People ferred to collectively as Twolegs make occasional appearances, but they are of very little import. Tabby independence is the draw, and given Hunter's popularity, it will probably continue to be for some time.

Horn Book (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

In this opening to the Warriors prequel series, a prophecy leads some members of a starving cat tribe to seek food and comfort elsewhere while others stay behind. Conflicts about how to survive add character detail to the cats' journey, and series fans will likely enjoy learning about the clans' roots, but others may find the characters overabundant and the writing heavy-handed.

School Library Journal (Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 CST 2022)

BRANFORD, Anna . Violet Mackerel's Personal Space . illus. by Elanna Allen. 116p. S &; S / Atheneum . Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3591-9 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3592-6 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3593-3 . LC 2012025783. Gr 1-3 BRUEL, Nick . Bad Kitty School Daze . illus. by author. 160p. Roaring Brook / A Neal Porter Bk. 2013. PLB $13.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-670-1 . LC 2012015359. Gr 35 COTLER, Steve . Cheesie Mack Is Running Like Crazy . Bk. 3. illus. by Douglas Holgate. 240p. Random . June 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97713-7 ; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97714-4 ; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97715-1 . LC 2012017978. Gr 36 DELANEY, Joseph . Slither . Bk. 11. illus. by Patrick Arrasmith. 398p. (The Last Apprentice Series). HarperCollins / Greenwillow . 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219234-9 . LC 2012042032. Gr 58 HOLUB, Joan &; Suzanne Williams . Hades and the Helm of Darkness . Bk. 3. illus. by Craig Phillips. 128p. (Heroes in Training Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5725-6 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5267-1 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5268-8 . LC 2012942890. Gr 24 HOLUB, Joan &; Suzanne Williams . Pheme the Gossip . 272p. (Goddess Girls Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6138-3 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4937-4 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4938-1 . LC 2013930969. Gr 36 HUNTER, Erin . The Sun Trail . Bk. 1. illus. by Wayne McLoughlin. 312p. (Warriors: Dawn of the Clans Series). HarperCollins / Harper . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-206346-5 ; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-206347-2 . Gr 4 Up JOBLING, Curtis . Storm of Sharks . Bk. 5. 454p. (Wereworld Series). Viking . May 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-670-78558-2 . Gr 68 KENYON, Sherrilyn . Inferno . Bk. 4. 464p. (Chronicles of Nick Series). St. Martin's / Griffin . 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-1-250-00283-9 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02340-7 . Gr 710 KIRBY, Stan . Captain Awesome and the Ultimate Spelling Bee . Bk. 7. illus. by George O'Connor. 128p. S &; S / Little Simon . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5156-8 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5156-8 . LC 2011046177. Gr 13 KOWITT, H. N. Jinx of the Loser . Bk. 3. illus. by author. 224p. (The Loser List Series). Scholastic . May 2013. Tr $9.99. ISBN 978-0-545-50794-3 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-545-53955-5 . Gr 47 MULL, Brandon . Chasing the Prophecy . Bk. 3. 512p. (Beyonders Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9796-2 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9800-6 . LC 2012035223. Gr 5–8 SMITH, Clete Barrett . Aliens in Disguise . illus. by Christian Slade. 240p. (The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast Series). Hyperion / Disney . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6598-9 . LC 2012019758. Gr 3–6 STINE, R.L. How I Met My Monster . Bk. 3. 140p. (Goosebumps Most Wanted Series). Scholastic . 2013. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-545-41800-3 ; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-0-545-51017-2 . Gr 3–5 TASHJIAN, Janet . My Life as a Cartoonist . illus. by Jake Tashjian. 288p. Holt . May 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9609-5 . Gr 4–7 PEIRCE, Lincoln . Big Nate: Game On! illus. by author. 224p. Andrews McMeel . 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-2777-1 . LC 2012952339. Gr 2–4 PENNYPACKER, Sara . Clementine and the Spring Trip . Bk. 6. illus. by Marla Frazee. 160p. Hyperion / Disney . 2013. RTE $14.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-2357-6 . LC 2011052991. Gr 2–4 WARNER, Gertrude Chandler . The Boardwalk Mystery . Bk. 131. 128p. (The Boxcar Children Series). Albert Whitman . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-0802-2 ; pap. $5.99. 978-0-8075-0803-9. LC 2012020161. Gr 2–5 WEST, Jacqueline . The Strangers . Bk. 4. illus. by Poly Bernatene. 320p. (The Books of Elsewhere Series). Dial . July 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3690-0 . LC 2012040004. Gr 4–6