One brave feline, exiled from her clan, must fight to survive in this PEN Award–winning author’s epic fantasy adventure about a tribe of prehistoric cats. Twenty-five million years in the past, a clan of sentient, prehistoric big cats called “the Named” have their own language, traditions, and law. Led by Meoran, the Named herd horses and deer for food. They keep order and peace, fending off predatory raiders—the UnNamed—from all sides. But, the battle has taken its toll, and the Named are skirting the edge of survival. Much to the displeasure of Meoran, a young female named Ratha discovers a powerful defense against the UnNamed. She calls it “the Red Tongue,” and it is a creature of incredible power. Red Tongue is fire, a force of both life and destruction that must be at once nurtured and tamed. Sensing that Ratha’s mastery of fire threatens his power, Meoran banishes her from the clan. As she travels out amongst the savage UnNamed, Ratha learns about both them and herself. But, her tribe needs her. Can she return? Will the Named survive constant attacks without the Red Tongue? Will the power of the Red Tongue change the clan forever? Acclaimed author Clare Bell crafts a serious coming-of-age story filled with adventure, triumph, and heartbreak. Perfect for readers of Jean M. Auel’s The Clan of the Cave Bear, Ratha’s Creature will have readers hooked and clamoring for more stories of these big, noble cats.

From the PEN Award–winning author: The Named series continues as the prehistoric tribe of sentient cats confronts a rival tribe of feline hunters. Twenty-five million years in the past, a clan of sentient, prehistoric big cats called “the Named” have their own language, traditions, and law. Ratha, a female Named, has brought fire to the clan and serves as their leader. In RATHA'S CHALLENGE, Ratha faces a separate clan of hunter cats, entranced by the telepathic song of their leader, True-of-voice. When that clan's future becomes entwined with that of the Named, Ratha faces the difficult task of deciding everyone's fate. Her daughter, Thistle-Chaser, is her only hope for guidance in making the right decision, but Thistle-Chaser is plagued by nightmares of the "Dreambiter," a distant half-memory that threatens to tear apart her mind. Author Clare Bell crafts a serious adventure and coming-of-age story, filled with triumph and heartbreak. RATHA’S CHALLENGE, the Fourth Book of the Named in the series, finds Ratha struggling to gain the maturity needed to be both a leader and a mother. This story of large, noble cats is a larger story, indeed.

In the final chapter of the Named series, the prehistoric tribe of cats shares the power of fire with another clan—igniting the ultimate clash. "Screeching in pain and terror, the rogues backed off, but they didn't flee like the Un-Named raiders did. Something seemed to force them back into the fray, making them ignore their fright and their agony to attack again. The flame-bearers' attack faltered as eyes met eyes and the enemy's ability to withstand the Red Tongue was passed quickly among the Named. Firekeepers ... Above the commotion, Ratha heard an agonizing shriek, so raw that she didn't recognize the voice. She whirled, thinking one of the Named had been mortally struck. Instead she saw Bira, not in the battle but on the edge. Her ears were back, her mouth was open, but the sound from her throat wasn't a battle cry but a horrified scream. "They're killing the cubs!" Bira paused only long enough to gather breath and shriek again, even louder. "They're attacking the nursery! They're killing the cubs!"

Some extraordinary rats come to the aid of a mouse family in this Newbery Medal Award–winning classic by notable children’s author Robert C. O’Brien. Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

A Time Magazine 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time selection!​ A Reader’s Digest Best Children’s Book of All Time​! This stunning fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore is a companion novel to Starry River of the Sky and the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award finalist When the Sea Turned to Silver In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer. Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.

Fans of the style of William Faulkner will want to read Henri Bosco, four-time nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Available in English for the first time, Malicroix tells the story of a recluse living in the French countryside, unraveling how he came to a life of solitude. Henri Bosco, like his contemporary Jean Giono, is one of the regional masters of modern French literature, a writer who dwells above all on the grandeur, beauty, and ferocious unpredictability of the natural world. Malicroix, set in the early nineteenth century, is widely considered to be Bosco’s greatest book. Here he invests a classic coming-of-age story with a wild, mythic glamour. A nice young man, of stolidly unimaginative, good bourgeois stock, is surprised to inherit a house on an island in the Rhône, in the famously desolate and untamed region of the Camargue. The terms of his great-uncle’s will are even more surprising: the young man must take up solitary residence in the house for a full three months before he will be permitted to take possession of it. With only a taciturn shepherd and his dog for occasional company, he finds himself surrounded by the huge and turbulent river (always threatening to flood the island and surrounding countryside) and the wind, battering at his all-too-fragile house, shrieking from on high. And there is another condition of the will, a challenging task he must perform, even as others scheme to make his house their own. Only under threat can the young man come to terms with both his strange inheritance and himself.

An Indie Next List Top 10 Pick! From the author of WOLF CAMP comes the story of a charming, mushroom-loving, headgear-wearing, totally awkward naked mole rat who is looking for like-minded peeps. Sweety is awkward, even for a naked mole rat. She has protruding front teeth, thick glasses, and some very unusual hobbies, including interpretive dance and fungus identification. She's intense and passionate--and her peers don't always get her. But surely there are other mushroom lovers out there? As Sweety sets out to find them, she comes to realize--with a little help from her cool Aunt Ruth-- that being Sweety is actually pretty awesome. With heart and humor and a whole lot of charm, Andrea Zuill delivers a story about learning to embrace everything that makes you you--and that's something many kids are going to relate to.