Cats of the Clans

February 1, 2009
Gr 4 Up-This guide to the phenomenally popular series uses a loose narrative structure to introduce the cats: three kittens have lost their way en route to Star Clan and are told stories by a mysterious narrator known only as Rock. The telling of the tales is organized by clan, giving a full-page overview of each character's place in the saga. While this book is a handy companion for fans of the series, it is absolutely mind-boggling for anyone who has not read at least one of the novels. The dizzying number of felines and their relationships is difficult to keep track of, and events mentioned make no sense without prior knowledge of the books. The lack of family trees is unfortunate-there are by now several generations of cats, as well as cross-mating among the clans-and there is a breakdown of the naming codes used to distinguish the warriors; titles such as "kit," "paw," and "star" change as the cats move up within the hierarchy of the clans. One element that will be evident to new readers is the ferocity of these animals' lives, which is in keeping with the tone and spirit of the novels. The full-color portraits of these cats are spectacular. They show these characters to be exciting, vibrant, and unique, and will interest new readers much more than the tone-heavy, mysterious musings of the narrator."Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA"

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