Ratha's Courage -- New Clare Bell Novel, Due 2007 Ratha'

Ratha's Courage - New Clare Bell Novel , Oct. 18, 2007 - Ratha and Clan July 17, 2007

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Ratha is on the trail again!

Beautiful image from cover artist Michele Chessaire

Hi Ratha fans!

This is Clare Bell (author) announcing that a new Ratha novel, Ratha's Courage, has been written, accepted and will appear in hardcover in Spring 2007. The publisher is Viking Penguin and the line is Firebird Books. Firebird Editor Sharyn November encouraged me to write another Ratha, saying that a new novel of the Clan could push the others back into print.

Firebird is also issuing the other Ratha books as paperbacks. The Firebird editions of Ratha's Creature and Clan Ground will appear along with the new title. Ratha and Thistle-chaser plus Ratha's Challenge will follow in Fall 2007.

Ratha, Fessran, Thakur, Thistle-chaser, Bira, Cherfan and the rest of the Named clan-cats are back, along with some intriguing new strangers. And don't forget the treelings (and the dapplebacks, three-horned deer, and other creatures in Ratha's world).

My thanks to Sharyn November and Firebird for giving a dream new life.Also to the dedicated readers who couldn't forget Ratha and the Named.

Ratha looks at the award honoring her story

The International Reading Association's Childrens' Choice Award

The Series

RATHA'S CREATURE, Atheneum, Margaret K. McElderry, 1983. Winner (shared) 1983 IRA's Children's Choice Award. Also on ALA Best Books for Young People, 1983. This first book in the series begins with young Ratha's discovery of "her creature" (fire). It introduces the clan of the Named, big puma- and cheetah-like cats who have a herding society, laws and leaders. It also depicts the UnNamed and Bone-chewer, Ratha's irreverent outlaw mate.

CLAN GROUND Atheneum, Margaret K. McElderry, 1984. ALA Best Books for Young People, 1984. Explores the effect of "Ratha's Creature" on Ratha herself, a politically astute stranger, Orange Eyes, and the rest of the Named.

RATHA AND THISTLE-CHASER, 1990. McMillan, Margaret K. McElderry, 1990 ALA Best Books for.Young People, 1990. Thistle-chaser is Ratha's crippled and abandoned daughter. When the two are brought together by the herding teacher, Thakur, both have to deal with the conflicts that forced them apart and discover those that could bring them together.

RATHA'S CHALLENGE, McMillan,. MKM 1992. When Ratha and the Named discover another band of cats with equal but differing intelligence, Ratha has to look beyond the needs of the clan in order to reach out to them. Her daughter, Thistle-chaser, plays a critical role in the clan's decisions and actions.

RATHA'S COURAGE, (forthcoming) Viking-Penguin hardcover Firebird 2007. After successfully dealing with the band of hunting cats and their leader, True-of-Voice introduced in "Challenge", Ratha is taken aback when the befriended tribe apparently turns and attacks the Named. While struggling to find a reason and an answer to the mystery, Ratha discovers that courage isn't just about being brave in battle.