Outcast
Children's Literature: Jaypaw, the young medicine cat apprentice of the ThunderClan, has heard a mysterious prophecy: "There will be three, kin of your kin, who will hold the power of the stars in their paws." Is it possible this refers to Jaypaw and his two siblings, Hollypaw and Lionpaw? When two cats from the Tribe of Rushing Water come to ThunderClan to plead for help in fighting off intruders whose depredations have reduced this mountain-dwelling tribe to a subsistence existence, Jaypaw and his siblings hope to join the warriors who agree to aid the Rushing Water cats. Perhaps the distant mountains hold secrets that will show Jaypaw what the prophecy means. More than 300 pages later, there are no answers; the prophecy remains a mystery. Obviously, it has been left unresolved to pique readers' interest in the next sure-to-be-coming-soon volume. There is an overwhelming confusion of cats and clans, their roles and allegiances as well as repeated references to significant past events. Perhaps readers who have been fans from the beginning and have read the earlier books in this series can keep track of everyone and everything. If you are a potential fan of feline fantasy, it is highly recommended that you start with the first books in the series. Erin Hunter is actually the pen name for three women who work and write for Working Partners, a team of editors who create and develop new series fiction for children and teenagers. Book three in the "Warriors: Power of Three" series. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen