Erin Hunter facts for kids
Erin Hunter is a special name used by a group of authors who write exciting fantasy books for young readers. These stories are all about animals and their amazing adventures. The main authors who write under this name include Victoria Holmes, Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Clarissa Hutton, Inbali Iserles, Tui T. Sutherland, and Rosie Best. Some of their most famous book series are Warriors, Seekers, Survivors, Bravelands, and Bamboo Kingdom.
For each book, Victoria Holmes usually creates the main plot idea. Then, one of the other authors writes the actual story. Dan Jolley also writes the stories for the popular manga comics published under the Erin Hunter name. Several talented artists, like James L. Barry, Bettina M. Kurkoski, and Don Hudson, illustrate the Warriors mangas. More recently, Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter are illustrating new graphic novel versions of The Prophecies Begin series.
Contents
Who is Erin Hunter?
The name "Erin Hunter" isn't just one person; it's a team! This team works together to create many beloved animal fantasy stories. Using one name helps readers easily find all the books in a series, no matter which author wrote a specific title. It also helps keep the writing style consistent across all the books.
How the Books Began
The idea for the Warriors series started in 2003. A publisher named HarperCollins asked Victoria Holmes to create a fantasy series about wild cats. Even though she loved cats, Victoria wasn't a big fantasy reader at first. She developed the first story idea, and then Kate Cary was brought in to write the actual book. Victoria then worked behind the scenes, making sure all the details were correct and editing the stories.
As the Warriors series grew, Cherith Baldry joined the team while the third book, Forest of Secrets, was being written. Later, Tui T. Sutherland became the fourth author under the Erin Hunter name, starting with a Warriors guide book.
Why the Name "Erin Hunter"?
The authors chose "Erin Hunter" for a few good reasons. First, if they used all their individual names, the books would be scattered in different places in libraries, making them hard to find. They also wanted a last name that would place their books close to the popular Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which also features animal adventures.
One of the authors suggested "Hunter," and everyone thought it was perfect. It not only helped with library placement but also made people think of a cat, which fit the Warriors series perfectly. Victoria Holmes suggested "Erin" because it was one of her favorite names. It was chosen because it's a strong Celtic name and doesn't sound too "girly."
Meet the Authors
Many talented writers have contributed to the Erin Hunter books. Here are some of the main authors:
Victoria Holmes: The Creator
Victoria Holmes was born in Berkshire, England. She is the original creator of the Warriors series. After coming up with the initial idea, she invited Kate Cary to write the books while Victoria focused on editing and overseeing the story details.
Victoria grew up on a farm in England and later studied at the University of Oxford. She lives in London and used to be the main editor for the series. In 2017, Victoria Holmes stepped back from her active role in the Warriors series due to personal health reasons.
Kate Cary: A Key Writer
Kate Cary was the first author to join the Erin Hunter team to write the Warriors series. Victoria Holmes chose Kate after finishing the first storyline. Kate has written many books in the main Warriors series and several longer special editions.
She was born in England on November 4, 1967. She lived in Scotland for 12 years before returning to England, where she lives now. Besides the Erin Hunter books, Kate has also written other novels like Bloodline.
Cherith Baldry: Joining the Team
Cherith Baldry was the second author to become part of the Erin Hunter team. She was born on January 21, 1947, in Lancaster, England. She studied at the University of Manchester and St. Anne's College, Oxford. Victoria Holmes invited Cherith to join because her writing style was similar to Kate Cary's, which helped keep the books consistent.
Tui T. Sutherland: Expanding the Worlds
Tui T. Sutherland was born on July 31, 1978, in Caracas, Venezuela. She now lives in the United States. Tui's first contribution to the Erin Hunter team was the guide book Secrets of the Clans. She also wrote several other Warriors guides and the first book in the Seekers series. Tui was an editor for the Warriors series before becoming a full-time writer. She is also known for writing the popular Wings of Fire series.
Inbali Iserles: Exploring New Adventures
Inbali Iserles was born in Israel. She wrote several books in the Survivors series, including Darkness Falls, The Endless Lake, and Storm of Dogs. Inbali also writes animal fantasy novels under her own name, such as The Tygrine Cat and the Foxcraft trilogy.
Clarissa Hutton: Crafting Novellas
Clarissa Hutton has written several shorter Warriors stories called novellas. These include Thunderstar's Echo and the three stories found in Path of a Warrior.
Rosie Best: New Series and Stories
Rosie Best is the author of The Exile's Journey and several books in the Bravelands series. She has also written every book in the newer Bamboo Kingdom series.
Dan Jolley: The Manga Storyteller
Dan Jolley is the author who writes all the Warriors mangas. Besides his work for Erin Hunter, he also creates his own projects and writes for video games from companies like Ubisoft and Activision.
The Artists Behind the Stories
The Erin Hunter books also come to life through the amazing artwork of several illustrators.
Manga Illustrators
- James L. Barry illustrated most of the Warriors mangas, including the popular trilogy sets and special chapters in Super Editions.
- Bettina M. Kurkoski illustrated The Rise of Scourge.
- Don Hudson illustrated the Tigerstar and Sasha trilogy.
Graphic Novel Artists
- Natalie Riess is one of the artists for the new graphic novel versions of the first Warriors arc.
- Sara Goetter is also one of the artists for the new graphic novel versions of the first Warriors arc.
The Worlds of Erin Hunter
The Erin Hunter team has created many exciting animal fantasy series. Here are some of their most popular works:
The Warriors Series
The Warriors series is about wild cats living in different Clans, each with its own territory and rules. The cats face challenges, battles, and prophecies. The series is divided into many story arcs, each with six books.
- Warriors: The Prophecies Begin
- Into the Wild (2003) (Kate Cary)
- Fire and Ice (2003) (Cary)
- Forest of Secrets (2003) (Cherith Baldry)
- Warriors: Power of Three
- The Sight (2007) (Cary)
- Dark River (2007) (Cary)
- Warriors: Omen of the Stars
- The Fourth Apprentice (2009) (Baldry)
- Fading Echoes (2010) (Cary)
- Warriors: Dawn of the Clans
- The Sun Trail (2013) (Baldry)
- Thunder Rising (2013) (Baldry)
- Warriors: A Vision of Shadows
- The Apprentice's Quest (2016) (Baldry)
- Thunder and Shadow (2016) (Cary)
- Warriors: The Broken Code
- Lost Stars (2019) (Baldry)
- The Silent Thaw (2019) (Cary)
- Warriors: A Starless Clan
- River (2022) (Baldry)
- Sky (2022) (Cary)
- Warriors: Changing Skies
- The Elders' Quest (2025)
Warriors Graphic Novels
These are comic book versions of the Warriors stories.
- Graystripe's Adventure
- The Lost Warrior (2007) (Dan Jolley)
- The Rise of Scourge
- The Rise of Scourge (2008) (Jolley)
- Tigerstar and Sasha
- Into the Woods (2008) (Jolley)
Warriors Super Editions
These are longer, standalone books that tell the story of a specific important character.
- Firestar's Quest (2007) (Baldry)
- Bluestar's Prophecy (2009) (Cary)
- SkyClan's Destiny (2010) (Baldry)
Warriors Novellas
These are shorter stories that focus on specific characters or events, often filling in gaps in the main series.
- Hollyleaf's Story (2012) (Holmes)
- Mistystar's Omen (2012) (Holmes)
- Cloudstar's Journey (2013) (Holmes)
The Seekers Series
The Seekers series follows the adventures of four young bears – a black bear, a grizzly, a polar bear, and a panda – who embark on a quest to find a new home.
- Seekers: The Original Series
- The Quest Begins (2008) (Tui T. Sutherland)
- Great Bear Lake (2009) (Cherith Baldry)
The Survivors Series
This series tells the story of a group of dogs trying to survive after a terrible earthquake, known as the "Big Growl," changes their world.
- Survivors: The Original Series
- The Empty City (2012) (Gillian Philip)
- A Hidden Enemy (2013) (Philip)
- Darkness Falls (2013) (Inbali Iserles)
The Bravelands Series
Bravelands is set in the African savanna and follows the adventures of a lion, an elephant, and a baboon as they try to restore balance to their world.
- Bravelands
- Broken Pride (2017) (Gillian Philip)
- Code of Honor (2018) (Philip)
The Bamboo Kingdom Series
This series focuses on pandas and their journey through a hidden land, facing challenges and discovering their destiny.
- Creatures of the Flood (2021) (Rosie Best)
- River of Secrets (2022) (Best)
- Journey to the Dragon Mountain (2023) (Best)
How the Books are Made
For the Warriors, Seekers, Bravelands, and Bamboo Kingdom series, a special process is followed. First, Victoria Holmes (or now, a team of editors) creates a basic script and outline for the story. This outline is then sent to the author who will write that particular book. The author takes these ideas and develops them into a full book. Once the author finishes, the book goes back to the editing team for a final check and edits. After that, it's sent to HarperCollins for publication.
The Survivors series had a slightly different approach. The whole team worked together to create a detailed story outline and develop the characters. Then, a single author wrote the book. Even then, the author could make small changes to the plot or characters if they felt it made the story better.
Keeping the Story Consistent
With several different authors writing under one name, it's important for the books to feel like they were all written by the same person. Victoria Holmes explained that the books "sound" like Erin Hunter because the name has a very unique voice. She compared the different authors' styles to different languages, where a small difference can stand out. Victoria's role as editor was to make sure that the book always sounded correct and consistent with the Erin Hunter style. All Erin Hunter books are told from a third-person limited point of view, meaning readers see the story through the eyes of one character at a time. This main character can change from series to series, book to book, or even chapter to chapter.
See also
In Spanish: Erin Hunter para niños
