Fire and Ice

September 1, 2003
Gr 5 Up-After having left his life as a kittypet, apprentice Firepaw of the ThunderClan has been given his warrior name of Fireheart and his first mission-to find the WindClan and assist them back to their traditional hunting grounds. While he and his friend Graystripe are successful in their quest, Fireheart knows that trouble is brewing, and he isn't sure that the ThunderClan's deputy can be trusted. As events escalate, a warrior from RiverClan is accidentally killed, an apprentice is injured, and Fireheart brings into the Clan a kittypet kitten-his nephew-without thinking of the consequences. Finally, he must decide who to trust and who to fight. Readers not familiar with the first book may find this one hard to follow. Hunter provides a directory that tells which cats are in which clans, but it is cumbersome to flip back and forth. The characterizations of the animals are somewhat flat, although it is possible to tell them apart, and the plot's twists and turns seem mapped out and predictable. Librarians with a readership for Into the Wild (HarperCollins, 2003) will probably want this volume; others can pass.-Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2003
Gr. 6-9. Firepaw, the former kittypet who became a ThunderClan warrior in " Into the Wild" [BKL F 15 03], faces danger and treachery within and without his clan as he struggles with his identity. Because some clan members refuse to accept him, he feels like an outsider. Also, it appears that ShadowClan and RiverClan are forming an alliance to usurp land belonging to the displaced WindClan. ThunderClan's leader sends Firepaw and his friend Graystripe to lead WindClan back to its home, but intrigue among the clans and among individuals within them spells trouble for Firepaw. Characters remain true to their feline natures, adding to the plausibility of events in this tension-filled story. Readers will be happy to learn that another episode is in the works.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)

squirrelflight - There have always been four warrior Clans, just like there are four trees at the clearing where they gather. But now, the cats don’t know if this is true. One of the Clans has become more power-hungry than ever, and the forest is on the brink of destruction. Every cat from the Clans must fight—or die. In the midst of all this pandemonium, a young warrior named Fireheart is keeping a terrible secret; Tigerclaw, a cat from his Clan, has killed the former second-in-command—or deputy—taking the role for himself. And to make matters worse, he also tried to kill his own apprentice, Ravenpaw! But Fireheart and his friend Graystripe helped Ravenpaw escape to a place where he would be safe. Then, a new disaster strikes the Clans; a deadly cough is spreading through them...but how will they prevent it? Fireheart struggles to survive in a Clan that is ravaged by illness, especially when he knows he must help out with the sick cats. That loyalty will never go away—no matter what. Meanwhile, Graystripe has been seeing a she-cat from another Clan, which is forbidden, but Fireheart doesn’t want to get his friend in trouble. Should he really tell his leader, like a loyal warrior would do? Or should he do what he thinks is right? The decision is almost impossible. Which one will he choose? Read this book to find out!