Book Review: Warriors: Into the Wild

reviewed by Brooklynn Miller, age 12

The book Warriors: Into the Wild, written by Erin Hunter, follows a housecat named Rusty, who joins ThunderClan, a group of four cat clans who fight over territory and prey. It is part of the Warrors series of books.

In the series, each cat gets a prefix to their name, depending on their features or personalities, and they get a suffix based on age. If they are a kit, they get the suffix “kit,” if they are an apprentice, they get the suffix “paw,” if they’re a warrior its based on features or personalities, and if they’re a clan leader, they get the suffix “star,” along with nine lives granted from StarClan. StarClan are cats who have died and live in the sky and stars, watching over the clans and guiding them with prophecies when in turmoil.

They also have moons instead of ages or years, referring to months. If they are under the age of six moons, they stay in the nursery with their mothers, known as queens. When they reach six moons old, they become apprentices, gain a mentor, and start training, whether it is battle training, hunting training, cleaning out nests or helping the elders. There are also roles each cat gets: kits stay in the nursery; apprentices, ages 6 moons and over, train under a warrior who is their announced mentor.

To become a warrior, they are assessed by their skill and knowledge, and become a warrior whenever their mentor thinks they’re ready. Warriors protect their Clan by fighting when in danger, marking borders while challenging all that cross, and hunting to feed the Clan. Mentors teach an apprentice how to train as a warrior. Deputies are second-in-command to the leader, they also set up patrols and watch over their cats like their leader. Leaders make all the big decisions for the clan.

Finally, Medicine cats have special meetings with StarClan every half moon and interpret potential signs for StarClan. They also gather herbs, which are used and mixed to make many different cures for a wide variety of illnesses and pain. The medicine cat apprentices are young cats who train under the medicine cat to learn the ways of StarClan and learn how to use herbs. It is a rule that medicine cats may not take a mate or have kits, as it distracts them from their duties to heal.

There are three main characters: Rusty, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw, best friends who are all part of ThunderClan. Rusty had owners and a house but ran away trying to hunt. While hunting, he met and fought with Graypaw, a member of ThunderClan, who claimed that Rusty was hunting and scaring away prey on ThunderClan territory. With Graypaw, was Lionheart, his mentor, and Bluestar, the Clan leader. A while after being offered a place in the clan by Bluestar despite being a kittypet, which is a gibe used to insult and taunt house cats. Rusty went to join ThunderClan as an apprentice, getting the new clan name of Firepaw.

Tigerclaw, who is the clan deputy, was caught by Ravenpaw for murdering another cat, an act forbidden by all clans. Firepaw protects Ravenpaw from Tigerclaw, having seen the way the deputy glared at and singled out Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw felt he should only tell Firepaw and Graypaw because if he tried to accuse Tigerclaw, he wouldn't have any proof and he was just an apprentice. If he tried to accuse Tigerclaw in front of everyone, nobody would be likely to believe him as his role is only an apprentice. Firepaw was also trying to get proof that Tigerclaw was a murderer while protecting and trying his best to stay with Ravenpaw, thinking he wasn't safe alone with Tigerclaw, who was also Ravenpaw’s mentor.

Warriors: Into the Wild is the first of six books in the first series Warriors. I really enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it for young teens. I enjoyed it for various reasons, but a few in particular are the mystery and the action. If you really like animals with a good mix of fighting and mystery, I’d recommend you go check it out.