Warriors: The Prophecies Begin

not perfect, but it really is a good start to the series. books 5/6 have strong tension and put me on edge even as an adult, especially 5 which remains one of my favorite books overall. the emotional beats hit and it's not afraid to throw a lot at you. strong, unique characters. i'm not the biggest fan of firestar but it wouldn't be the same without him. i know the tone is different from the other arcs but it's still a must-read. i don't think any fan should skip tbh. also led to super editions i enjoy (bluestar's prophecy especially, also tallstar's and crookedstar's).