Books in Warriors series

A valentine for one of the ugliest, albeit most lethally effective, warplanes ever built--as well as for the men who flew them during the Desert Storm campaign. Drawing on interviews with over one hundred A-10 pilots who served in the Persian Gulf during the 1990-91 hostilities, Smallwood (himself an aviator and Korean War vet) offers riveting perspectives on aerial combat. Setting the stage with an informative briefing on how, in the 70's, the Air Force developed the A-10 (a.k.a. ``Warthog'') as a means of supporting ground troops with massive firepower, he moves into anecdotal vignettes detailing the ways in which so-called ``hog drivers'' and their commanders whiled away the weary hours of the calm before the storm in Saudi Arabia's inhospitable clime. At the heart of his narrative, however, are vivid accounts of how A-10s accomplished their tank-busting missions and then some once the battle was joined. Tasked, among other objectives, to take out missile launchers and artillery emplacements far behind the front lines (assignments normally reserved for jet fighters), the slow-moving, heavily armed Warthogs were credited with over half the bomb damage inflicted on Iraqi forces and installations. Employing improvisational tactics, A-10s also flew reconnaissance and assisted in rescues of coalition pilots; they even scored air-to- air kills, downing a couple of enemy choppers. Indeed, the plane's ungainly Gatling-gun platform performed so well that pilots demanded their craft be redesignated ``RFOA-10'' (for ``reconnaissance/fighter/observation/attack'').

A perilous promise Two healthy kits have just been born in RiverClan—Oakkit and Stormkit. The whole Clan rejoices, and no cat is more pleased than their mother, who immediately recognizes her kits’ innate skill and bravery. But when tragedy befalls Stormkit and he is permanently disfigured, his mother renames him Crookedkit and casts him aside. As the young cat grows in strength, he dreams of becoming Clan leader. Then a mysterious cat appears in his dreams, whispering of prophecies untold and destinies undiscovered. She proclaims that Crookedkit will have all that he desires—but he must pledge his undying loyalty to RiverClan. No cat could ever have imagined the terror and destruction that would lie in one hastily made, seemingly harmless, promise.

Illustrations. 264 pp. Ages 12 and up. Pub: 10/96. In 17th century England, a terrible accident forces orphaned Philip Marsham to flee London in fear of his life. He signs on with a frigate bound for Newfoundland. But when the ship is seized midocean by pirates, Philip is forced to join them on their murderous expeditions. This is a classic Newbery Award-winning pirate adventure.

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Warriors Super Edition: Tallstar's Revenge is an extra-long, epic Warriors adventure that offers Erin Hunter fans their first look at the inner workings of WindClan. This never-before-told story reveals the truth about Tallstar's past, before he became the leader of WindClan and was a warrior called Talltail. Because Tallstar's Revenge is a stand-alone novel, it is also perfect for readers who are new to the world of Erin Hunter's bestselling middle-grade series about the lives of feral cats.

Gordon Korman offers another edge-of-your-seat action/adventure in a return to the trilogy format that sold more than 1 million copies of Island, Everest, and Dive.It's every brother's worst fear: As Aiden and his sister Meg are walking home from school one day, a van pulls over and Meg is kidnapped. There's no way for Aiden to stop it from happening. He's the only witness to his sister's disappearance.Why has Meg been kidnapped? Is it for ransom? As a vendetta against Meg and Aiden's parents? Or is there an even bigger conspiracy at work?While Meg fends off her kidnappers and plans an escape, Aiden must team up with the FBI to try to find her--tracking down clues only a brother could recognize.

The return of a long lost Clan . . . Many moons ago, five warrior Clans shared the forest in peace. But as Twolegs encroached on the cats' territories, the warriors of SkyClan were forced to abandon their home and try to forge a new life far away. Eventually, the Clan disbanded—forgotten by all until Firestar was sent on a quest to reunite its descendants and return SkyClan to its former glory. Now, with Leafstar in place as leader, SkyClan is thriving. Leafstar is desperate to believe that her Clan will survive where the ancient SkyClan cats failed. But threats continue to plague the Clan, and as dissent grows from within, Leafstar must face the one question she dreads: Is SkyClan meant to survive?

Hear the stories of the great warriors as they've never been told before! Cats of the Clans is chock-full of visual treats and captivating details, including full-color illustrations and in-depth biographies of important cats—from fierce Clan leaders to wise medicine cats to the most mischievous kits, as well as loners, rogues, and kittypets. This collectible guide is a great introduction to the Warriors series for new fans and is indispensable for those already hooked!