Warriors: Dawn of the Clans by Erin Hunter series

Parents need to know that the original series of Warriors books, first published in 2003, has grown to spawn four spinoff series of novels (The New Prophecy, Power of Three, Omen of the Stars and Dawn of the Clans), as well as other limited series and one-offs. If your child is into these books, they offer years' worth of reading to enjoy. All of the books take place in a world of cat characters that belong to different "clans" that have different talents, abilities, and loyalties. Parallels can be drawn between the clans (which think and feel like humans) and human cultures, making these books an excellent point of departure for discussion about cultural differences and prejudice. Cats engage in wars and battles, fought with claws and teeth, in which some characters are wounded or killed. There are descriptions of cuts and injuries that are tempered for middle-graders, but some sensitive cat lovers could find them too scary. It should also be noted that this series walks a line between opposing war and using violent battle to engage the reader.