There is DEATH, and sometimes it is really SAD. So, i suggest +8 if you really want ur child to get into it. The only reason I didn't put it up there is because parts will be boring for them. I would definitely say a 5+ on these series. I would say these books are intensely moral without being preachy. But even then characters are shown having to struggle between blind loyalty and their own conscience. And the visual descriptions and creative use of language is great! Also there is a continued reinforcement of a code of honor, though I think loyalty as a virtue is too much emphasized. The story is intensely dramatic, so for kids that have trouble paying attention there is always something to keep them stimulated. If your child is triggered by a specific kind of violence, check to see which books to avoid. I'd much rather have that kind of input in her life. While it is more intense than some of the simplistic media she watches, it also shows the consequences of violence for the people that care. I do like that the violence has emotional impact. But it was bad enough that I had to skip over it. When one of the bad guys was killed, the injury and the (long) process of his death was described, though an intense visual description was not given. That one wasn't explicitly described, as she was carried off by an eagle. One series we had to stop because she was triggered by the death of a pregnant cat. There are very evil deeds done by the bad cats, and terrible tragedies. The cats are in the wild, and they live harsh lives. Also it's fun! I'm as into the story as she is, so it's great that we can share that.

But she is still very very into the story, and it challenges her abilities in a great way. I have to go slowly and sometimes check that she's followed some of the implied social interactions. I read them to her (she still can't handle large chunks of text) and I define the larger words as we go. The Warriors books have opened up longer stories for her, raised her vocabulary, and illustrated complex social interactions. She also did not easily empathize with human characters. My daughter has high-functioning autism, so she struggles with words and reading comprehension and was not very interested in long form stories.

Warrior cats first book