Animorphs
Encyclopedia
Animorphs is an English language
science fiction
series of young adult books
written by K. A. Applegate
and published by Scholastic
. Five humans, Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (nicknamed Ax), obtain the ability to morph into any animal they touch. They name themselves "Animorphs", a portmanteau of "animal morphers". Using their ability, they battle a secret alien infiltration of Earth
. It is told in first person
, with the Animorphs taking turns narrating the books. Applegate cycles through the six protagonists, telling their story of the secret war through each of their perspectives. Horror, war, dehumanization, sanity, morality, innocence, leadership, and growing up are core motifs of the series.
Published between June 1996 and May 2001, the series consisted of 54 books and includes ten companion books, eight of which fit into the series' continuity (the Animorphs Chronicles
and Megamorphs books) and two that are gamebooks not fitting into the continuity (the Alternamorphs books). The characters grow up throughout the series, struggling to cope with the compromises and retreats they must make to win the war. The series allows the reader to observe the human condition as the characters are forced by their new, deadly circumstances to face the darkest, and also the brightest, parts of themselves. The series was originally conceived as a three-part series called The Changelings, in which Jake is named Matt, and his little brother Joseph takes the place of Cassie.
, Applegate talked about the source of inspiration and realization for the Animorphs series: "I grew up loving animals and lived with the usual suburban menagerie of dogs, cats and gerbils," she said, "I really wanted to find a way to get kids into the heads of various species and decided that a science-fiction premise was the way to do this." Applegate tried to accurately depict the various animals, and did research such as visiting "a raptor center where they rehabilitate injured birds". "When Tobias becomes a hawk, I want the reader to see the world as a hawk might see it — to soar on the warm breezes and hurtle toward the ground to make a kill," she said.
To develop the characters for Animorphs, Applegate would go through teenage magazines such as YM
and Seventeen
(both of which are referenced in the books when describing Rachel
), cutting out pictures and piecing them together to get an idea of what sort of kids the Animorphs would look like. Applegate stated in an interview online that many of the names for her alien creatures, races, and locations are actually scrambled names of local street signs or companies that she happens to notice. For instance, the word nothlit
was derived from the hotel name Hilton. According to the Anibase, Applegate did not make up the titles for the Animorphs books: it was up to the Scholastic editors to create the titles for the books based on the outlines provided by the author, having to select a word that not only fit the book's storyline, but sounded good with the characteristic "The" preface. One of the author's favorite books, The Lord of the Rings
, lent several words and images to Animorphs: the elvish word for Orc
, "yrch", became Yeerk; the flaming red Eye of Sauron
inspired the Crayak
, and Ax's middle name, "Esgarrouth", is the name of a town
in the book. The human name of Ax's brother, Elfangor, is Alan Fangor and his last name is in reference to the Fangor region or Fangorn Forest. Also there was a minor reference to Gondor
, in the form of a fictional company named "Gondor Industries" in the 14th book
. (It may also be significant that Visser Three
's host is named Alloran
, a rough homonym
of Gandalf
's Valinor
ean name "Olórin", and that one of the minor alien races is called "the Five", which is also a term used in The Lord of the Rings for the Istari
.)
Applegate's writing was inspired by her family. All books after The Unknown
were dedicated to Applegate's son, Jake, as well as her husband and co-writer, Michael. Her son was born premature in 1997, and she worked on the Animorphs series at night, in the lobby of the hospital where he was in Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC).
, the books were most popular as A5-sized paperback volumes, and were usually between 150 and 200 pages long, divided into just under thirty chapters.
The front covers featured images of the narrating Animorph undergoing the various stages of one of the morphs from the story, with a few exceptions (noted in each book's article). Behind the morphing character were images of clouds and skies, which became more colorful and elaborate as the series progressed. All the covers of the regular series books had a small cutout over part of the full morph's anatomy, revealing a computer-generated illustration on the first page, which was printed on glossy paper. The illustration shared the image of the full morph with the front cover, but placed within an environment from the story. The book spines repeated the narrating character's face from the front cover, and the spine color changed with every new episode, resulting in a very colorful collection when viewed from any angle. A small excerpt from one of the book's chapters was printed on the inside of every front cover.
As of the eighth book, The Alien
, the Animorphs logo, the author's name, and the book's title were printed in glossy, metallic-look ink, rather than the flat colors that had been used for the first seven books. In addition, the author's name and book title were surrounded by solid black rectangles. The majority of the books in the series were printed only in "metallic-ink editions". All further reprintings of the first seven books had this treatment applied to them as well.
The books in the series' final arc, beginning with the 45th book, The Revelation
had yet another treatment applied to the cover, a variation on the new metallic style; the change affected only the main 'Animorphs' logo: instead of consisting of white letters superimposed on a metallic, colored background, the last ten books featured a logo with colored letters over a dark grey background, in contrast with the white logo background from the series' "opening arc". The final book, #54 The Beginning
had a unique cover style, with the logo consisting of a glowing outline.
Every book featured an introduction
to the series on the back cover, in the voice of Jake, one of the Animorphs.
As of book 51, The Absolute
, the introduction read as follows:
In addition to this text, each book also carried an introduction, or teaser of sorts, to its own storyline.
Another interesting feature of the books was a flipbook composed of the bottom right-hand corners of all of the book's pages. A step of the cover morph was printed on each page, less than an inch tall, in black-and-white. When the pages were flipped from front to back, the narrating Animorph could be seen morphing into the animal.
, whose UK edition showed Marco
morphing into a lobster
, in contrast to the American edition's gorilla
morph. Japanese-language covers were hand-drawn; The Invasion
showed Jake morphing into his dog Homer, a morph that was featured on the cover of The Threat
in the American editions. Gallimard Jeunesse
is the French publisher and Tammi
is the Finnish publisher. The German publisher, Ravensburger
, has also published some of the volumes as audio plays
.
The common text that each book has on its back has been shortened to:
, Jake mentions having tried out for his junior high basketball team and not making the team; this puts Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel, and Tobias, at the very least, around the age of 11-14 as junior high (or middle school
) in the United States is generally grade 6-8. However, as Marco describes them as "idiot teenagers with a death wish" in the first book, it's very likely that some or most of them are older than 12. This is also supported in book two, The Visitor
, when Rachel looks at a photo "taken a couple of years ago" of her and Melissa Chapman, taken on Melissa's "twelfth birthday, or some birthday". Although Rachel cannot remember what birthday it was, this supports the idea that the Animorphs are 13 or 14. And in #41: The Familiar
, Jake wakes up one morning as a 25-year-old, and in the preview for that book in the previous one, it says he sleeps for a decade, suggesting his age was 15 before his journey into the future.
The publication of book #53
offered a definite answer to the question of age. Jake says outright at the start of chapter 2 in #53 that he is 16, started the war when he was 13, and has been fighting the war for over three years. Marco also states in chapter 8 of book#54
that Jake is sixteen. Throughout the course of book #54, 2 or 3 more years passed. Cassie mentions that she is 19 in her final scene of book #54, although the other characters' ages are never explicitly confirmed. In the end, the characters are either 19 or 20 years old depending on how long they had been in space just before the series' conclusion.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series of young adult books
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
written by K. A. Applegate
K. A. Applegate
Katherine Alice Applegate is an American author, best-known as the author of the Animorphs, Remnants, Everworld and other book series, although some of the books in these series are ghostwritten by other authors. Applegate's most popular books are science fiction, fantasy, and adventure novels...
and published by Scholastic
Scholastic Press
Scholastic is a global book publishing company known for publishing educational materials for schools, teachers, and parents, and selling and distributing them by mail order and via book clubs and book fairs. It also has the exclusive United States' publishing rights to the Harry Potter book...
. Five humans, Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (nicknamed Ax), obtain the ability to morph into any animal they touch. They name themselves "Animorphs", a portmanteau of "animal morphers". Using their ability, they battle a secret alien infiltration of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. It is told in first person
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, with the Animorphs taking turns narrating the books. Applegate cycles through the six protagonists, telling their story of the secret war through each of their perspectives. Horror, war, dehumanization, sanity, morality, innocence, leadership, and growing up are core motifs of the series.
Published between June 1996 and May 2001, the series consisted of 54 books and includes ten companion books, eight of which fit into the series' continuity (the Animorphs Chronicles
Animorphs Chronicles
The Animorphs Chronicles is a series of 4 books written by K. A. Applegate alongside the main series as a companion collection to detail the backstories of characters introduced in the series, and help explain and expand upon concepts that were briefly defined in the series, but, as the series is...
and Megamorphs books) and two that are gamebooks not fitting into the continuity (the Alternamorphs books). The characters grow up throughout the series, struggling to cope with the compromises and retreats they must make to win the war. The series allows the reader to observe the human condition as the characters are forced by their new, deadly circumstances to face the darkest, and also the brightest, parts of themselves. The series was originally conceived as a three-part series called The Changelings, in which Jake is named Matt, and his little brother Joseph takes the place of Cassie.
Development
In an interview with Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
, Applegate talked about the source of inspiration and realization for the Animorphs series: "I grew up loving animals and lived with the usual suburban menagerie of dogs, cats and gerbils," she said, "I really wanted to find a way to get kids into the heads of various species and decided that a science-fiction premise was the way to do this." Applegate tried to accurately depict the various animals, and did research such as visiting "a raptor center where they rehabilitate injured birds". "When Tobias becomes a hawk, I want the reader to see the world as a hawk might see it — to soar on the warm breezes and hurtle toward the ground to make a kill," she said.
To develop the characters for Animorphs, Applegate would go through teenage magazines such as YM
YM (magazine)
YM was an American teen magazine that began in 1932. It was published for 72 years and was the second-oldest girls' magazine in the United States...
and Seventeen
Seventeen (magazine)
Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
(both of which are referenced in the books when describing Rachel
Rachel (Animorphs)
Rachel is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs. Her full name is never explicitly mentioned in the books, but her relation to her cousin Jake Berenson through their fathers makes it most likely to be Rachel Berenson, if it was never changed or hyphenated.-Biography:Before the...
), cutting out pictures and piecing them together to get an idea of what sort of kids the Animorphs would look like. Applegate stated in an interview online that many of the names for her alien creatures, races, and locations are actually scrambled names of local street signs or companies that she happens to notice. For instance, the word nothlit
Andalite terminology
A compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the...
was derived from the hotel name Hilton. According to the Anibase, Applegate did not make up the titles for the Animorphs books: it was up to the Scholastic editors to create the titles for the books based on the outlines provided by the author, having to select a word that not only fit the book's storyline, but sounded good with the characteristic "The" preface. One of the author's favorite books, The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, lent several words and images to Animorphs: the elvish word for Orc
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
, "yrch", became Yeerk; the flaming red Eye of Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
inspired the Crayak
Crayak
Crayak is a fictional character and villain from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate.-Description:Crayak is a nearly omnipotent entity appearing in the form of an armless cyborg with massive limbs and nothing but what would resemble as a blood-red eye for a head...
, and Ax's middle name, "Esgarrouth", is the name of a town
Esgaroth
Esgaroth, or Lake-town is a fictitious community of Men upon the Long Lake, in The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. The town is constructed entirely of wood and stands upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the Long Lake, south of the Lonely Mountain and east of Mirkwood...
in the book. The human name of Ax's brother, Elfangor, is Alan Fangor and his last name is in reference to the Fangor region or Fangorn Forest. Also there was a minor reference to Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
, in the form of a fictional company named "Gondor Industries" in the 14th book
The Unknown (Animorphs)
The Unknown is the fourteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.The front cover quote is, "Never underestimate the power of a morph....". All books after The Unknown were dedicated to Applegate's son, Jake, as well as her husband and co-writer, Michael...
. (It may also be significant that Visser Three
Visser Three
Visser Three, born as Esplin 9466 Primary and later known as Visser One, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K.A. Applegate. He is the leader of the Yeerk forces on Earth, having inherited the planet from Edriss 562, who was Visser One at...
's host is named Alloran
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
, a rough homonym
Homonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
of Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
's Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
ean name "Olórin", and that one of the minor alien races is called "the Five", which is also a term used in The Lord of the Rings for the Istari
Wizard (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the Istari by the Elves. The Sindarin word is Ithryn...
.)
Applegate's writing was inspired by her family. All books after The Unknown
The Unknown (Animorphs)
The Unknown is the fourteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.The front cover quote is, "Never underestimate the power of a morph....". All books after The Unknown were dedicated to Applegate's son, Jake, as well as her husband and co-writer, Michael...
were dedicated to Applegate's son, Jake, as well as her husband and co-writer, Michael. Her son was born premature in 1997, and she worked on the Animorphs series at night, in the lobby of the hospital where he was in Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC).
Characters
The names given here are the ones used throughout the majority of the series; in the last few books, some character's full names are revealed.Animorphs
- JakeJake BerensonJake Berenson is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Until the penultimate book of the series, his last name was never revealed, and he was known only as Jake...
- MarcoMarco (Animorphs)Marco is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series, Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned.-Biography:...
- TobiasTobias (Animorphs)Tobias is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs written by K.A. Applegate. His surname is never mentioned, but had the Ellimist not altered time in order to take his father, Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, back to his old life, his full name would have been Tobias Fangor, the...
- CassieCassie (Animorphs)Cassie is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Her last name is never mentioned, although she referred to it as being "nice" in The Secret.-Biography:...
- RachelRachel (Animorphs)Rachel is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs. Her full name is never explicitly mentioned in the books, but her relation to her cousin Jake Berenson through their fathers makes it most likely to be Rachel Berenson, if it was never changed or hyphenated.-Biography:Before the...
- AxAximili-Esgarrouth-IsthillAximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs.-Biography:Aximili is a young Andalite who becomes stranded on Earth when the Andalite Dome Ship GalaxyTree is shot down by Yeerk fighters...
(full name is "Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill")
Jake
- Jake and Marco: Jake and Marco are described as being best friends since early childhood. While the two rarely display deep emotion for each other, in each of their narrations a special emphasis is placed on the loyalty of their friendship, and the bond the two share. Marco often acts as a direct counterpoint and relief to Jake's burdens of responsibility. During the series, their friendship is put to the test various times, specifically in books 30The Reunion (Animorphs)The Reunion is the thirtieth book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Elise Donner. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:...
and 31The Conspiracy (Animorphs)The Conspiracy is the thirty-first book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Laura Battyanyi-Wiess. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:...
when both question whether or not the other has the ability to preserve the group's secrecy when one of their family members is in jeopardy. However at the very end, Marco joins Jake without any hesitation and even asks as to who would look after him if he wasn't there. This shows that their strong bond of eternal friendship remains even at the end. Marco is also the only person to side with Jake and agree with him when Jake sends Rachel to fight Tom which results in her death—showing the ability of theirs to understand each other. - Jake and Cassie: A romantic relationship between Jake and Cassie develops slowly throughout the series. The other Animorphs noticed it from the start, and the two finally kiss in book 26The Attack (Animorphs)The Attack is the twenty-sixth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:...
, prompting Rachel to say that "it was about time." By the time of #34The Prophecy (Animorphs)The Prophecy is the thirty-fourth book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Melinda Metz. It is narrated by Cassie and Aldrea.-Plot summary:...
, they've kissed several more times off-page; in this book Cassie acknowledges the love they have for each other, though neither of them have verbally articulated it. Towards the end of the series, Jake loses trust in Cassie and their relationship deteriorates rapidly as the war takes its toll on Jake; however, they reconcile in the last stages of the war, even as Jake is constructing his final plan. In #53The Answer (Animorphs)The Answer is the fifty-third and penultimate book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:After the destruction of the Yeerk pool, Jake, Tobias, and Marco witness the Yeerks destroying the last remnants of their hometown and watch as the Pool ship lands amidst the destruction...
, they tell each other that they love each other, and Jake proposes to Cassie; however, she declines, instead consenting to marry him "a year after all of this is over." She had by then guessed that Jake had been changed too much by the war. After Rachel and Tom's deaths, she realizes that her suspicions were correct, and that Jake is irrevocably changed: he is too torn up by guilt about the deaths he caused to have a relationship with anyone, let alone a romantic bond with Cassie. After the war, Jake and Cassie lose touch and she moves on to another man. - Jake and Rachel: Despite being cousins, Jake and Rachel maintain one of the weakest relationships among the characters. Jake often wonders about Rachel's bloodthirsty nature, while the darker side of Rachel's mind wonders what would happen should she ever challenge Jake's leadership. In The ReturnThe Return (Animorphs)The Return is the forty-eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Kimberly Morris. Due to an editorial oversight, Lisa Harkrader was mistakenly credited with writing the book. It is narrated by Rachel...
, Rachel is haunted by Jake's words: "I think there is something dark, deep down inside you." - Jake and Tobias: As book#1The Invasion (Animorphs)The Invasion, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the first book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:...
opens, Tobias and Jake are only vaguely acquainted: before the books began, Jake saved Tobias from a group of bullies, and Tobias latched on to Jake due to this act of kindness. For the vast majority of the series, Tobias staunchly believes in Jake's leadership and rarely if ever questions his decisions. This drastically changes by the end of the final battle and Tobias never truly forgives Jake for his actions. - Jake and Ax: The relationship between Ax and his "Prince" is one of the more comedic relationships of the series. There is often respectful banter between the two, and in battle Jake trusts Ax's ability over all others. As the series progresses Ax begins to view Jake not only as a commander, but as a true friend. A very common repartee between Jake and Ax plays out as Ax calling him "Prince Jake," Jake asking him not to call him "Prince," finished with Ax stating "Yes, Prince Jake."
Marco
- Marco and Cassie: Marco and Cassie have very little interaction during the series. In #5 Marco says, "Cassie is the one who is least like me. If I'm comedy, she's poetry." Cassie describes Marco as "cute" but not her type. Book 24The Suspicion (Animorphs)The Suspicion is the twenty-fourth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:...
is a rare exception to this, as they are with each other for most of the book. They are the main opposing forces when it comes to debates of morality, with Marco advocating the "necessary evil" and Cassie acting as a constant moral voice. At the end of the series, there is a deep caring between the two, Cassie describes them as the only two "real survivors" of the war, since they both have prospered since its termination and stayed mentally and emotionally strong. - Marco and Rachel: Despite the occasional flirting between Marco and Rachel in the beginning of the series, their relationship never grows beyond bouts of playful insults (though in an alternate reality Rachel does agree to date Marco and in book #32 The SeparationThe Separation (Animorphs)The Separation is the thirty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by the two 'halves' of Rachel.-Plot summary:...
, "nice" Rachel says Marco is cute). Marco often ridicules Rachel's bloodthirsty nature, while Rachel is constantly annoyed with Marco's joking and whining. Nevertheless, they often find themselves on the same side of large issues, since both care more about the practicality of their actions than any moral concerns. - Marco and Tobias: In the early part of the series, Marco and Tobias find themselves on opposite sides of the spectrum. Marco teases Tobias's dweeby nature, while Tobias is annoyed by Marco's slacker attitude. As the series progresses, a playful banter begins between the two, and Tobias and Marco often find themselves pulling the other out of hot water, such as when Marco follows his mother to her office and Tobias helps him, or when Marco joins Tobias to meet his own mother.
- Marco and Ax: Marco initially dislikes Ax, but as time passes, the two become very close friends. When Marco sacrifices his life as a student, he takes up residence at Ax's scoop, and their mutual intelligence and skills with computers lead to the both of them bonding.
Cassie
- Cassie and Rachel: Cassie and Rachel begin the series as best friends and continue to be so until the guerrilla warfare becomes open war. However, tension develops between them over the course of the series: Cassie is increasingly wary of Rachel's dark nature, and Rachel in turn becomes impatient with Cassie's morality; Rachel once even called their friendship off in #19The Departure (Animorphs)The Departure is the nineteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie and Jake, who narrates several chapters towards the end of the story.-Plot summary:...
when Cassie briefly left the team after killing a Hork-Bajir after Jake gave an order to retreat, Cassie explaining that she didn't want to stop caring, which Rachel interpreted as Cassie saying that she didn't care about the war so long as she didn't turn into Rachel. - Cassie and Tobias: Cassie and Tobias have very little one-on-one time. She loved him a lot, and was very concerned when he was devastated when Rachel died. During most of the voting, the two stand by each other, being that both are guided by a strong moral compass. In #4The Message (Animorphs)The Message, published in 1996 and written by K.A. Applegate, is the fourth book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:Cassie and Tobias are having strange dreams about a presence in the ocean...
, the two have dreams of the sea due to Ax's message, speculated by Marco to be the result of Cassie's natural 'affinity' with morphing and Tobias being permanently morphed. Otherwise, their relationship is limited. - Cassie and Ax: Up until the later portion of the series, Ax and Cassie interact very little as well. When Ax meets a female Andalite who leaves him, Cassie provides him with a shoulder to cry on. Though Ax briefly feels strong hatred for Cassie after she allows Tom to escape with the morphing cube, he quickly finds he has a strong bond with her as he does with the other Animorphs.
- Cassie and Jake: Cassie had a crush on Jake before the series started and eventually they do kiss. However, after the war ends Cassie is the only one who moves on. She and Jake drift apart and she dates another guy, who she will probably marry.
Rachel
- Rachel and Tobias: Rachel and Tobias have the most obvious romance of the series. While Cassie and Jake often state their attraction in their narrations, Rachel and Tobias openly act on their feelings. Both are very willing to scrap the mission in order to save the other, and whenever one is in danger the other becomes violent. Tobias and Rachel first kiss in book #33, The IllusionThe Illusion (Animorphs)The Illusion is the thirty-third book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Ellen Geroux. It is narrated by Tobias.-Plot summary:...
. Tobias' torture incurs blind rage within Rachel and her death drives Tobias into depression and isolation. - Rachel and Ax: Rachel and Ax very rarely interact. In Rachel's narrative, she seems to have an indifferent opinion towards Ax, save for valuing his ability in a fight. In Ax's narrative he often worries about Rachel's thirst for blood, and later in the series, openly shows his feelings on the matter.
Tobias
- Tobias' Family: Tobias did not know either of his parents. Tobias was raised by an alcoholic uncle and a separate apathetic aunt. Neither was too concerned with him. When Tobias became a nothlit neither noticed his absence, as they each thought he was staying with the other. His mother Loren, who was thought to have abandoned him, is discovered to have suffered an accident that caused amnesia and blindness. She is found later and is still living very close to Tobias. She was being watched by the Yeerks so the Animorphs rescued her by giving her the morphing ability to escape, which simultaneously repaired her sight.
- Tobias and Ax: Similarly to Marco and Jake, Tobias and Ax are best friends, or shorms, an Andalite term meaning best friend. Translated literally, shorm means "tail blade": the expression is that a shorm is someone who you would trust to put their tail blade to your throat. Additionally, Ax is Tobias' uncle: Elfangor, Ax's brother, fathered Tobias while in human morph. The two of them become closer after they find out that they are uncle and nephew. It takes Ax's capture to shake Tobias out of his depression from losing Rachel.
- Tobias was often misunderstood, in his relationships and in his own perception, of himself.
- Tobias and Rachel: Tobias was deeply in love with Rachel and never recovered after her death.
Secondary characters
- Aldrea-Iskillion-FalanAldreaAldrea-Iskillion-Falan is a fictional character in the Animorphs series.Aldrea is the daughter of Prince Seerow, a main character in Animorphs 34: The Prophecy and the heroine in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles...
- Alloran-Semitur-CorrassAlloran-Semitur-CorrassAlloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
- ArbronArbronArbron is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate.He was an Andalite aristh, a cadet, who was never serious and was always competitive with Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, who back then was an aristh as well....
- Auxiliary AnimorphsAuxiliary AnimorphsThe Auxiliary Animorphs are a team of fictional characters from the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. All of them were physically disabled in some form...
- CrayakCrayakCrayak is a fictional character and villain from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate.-Description:Crayak is a nearly omnipotent entity appearing in the form of an armless cyborg with massive limbs and nothing but what would resemble as a blood-red eye for a head...
- DavidDavid (Animorphs)David is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned. David was introduced in the "David Trilogy", which included the regular-series books #20 The Discovery, #21 The Threat, and #22 The Solution...
- DrodeDrodeThe Drode is a character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate.-Physical appearance:The Drode is an alien creature, described as being similar to a very dark purple dinosaur with wrinkled, pruny skin, and an oddly humanoid face. Like a small dinosaur, it walks on two legs and balances by a...
- Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul
- EllimistEllimistThe Ellimist is a fictional character from the science fiction novel series Animorphs.The Ellimist is an almost god-like being, displaying many reality warping powers, though it is stated several times that while he appears to be, he is not omnipotent. By standard values, the Ellimist is a force of...
- Erek KingErek KingErek King is a fictional character from the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate. He is a member of the Chee, a pacifistic android race created by the Pemalites. Erek King was the name of a real Animorphs fan who won a competition on the Animorphs Official Site to have his name included in one of...
- Toby HameeToby HameeToby Hamee is a fictional character in the Animorphs books by K. A. Applegate.Toby Hamee is a Hork-Bajir seer, the daughter of Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak. She is the first free Hork-Bajir born in the free Hork-Bajir colony...
- Visser One
- Visser ThreeVisser ThreeVisser Three, born as Esplin 9466 Primary and later known as Visser One, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K.A. Applegate. He is the leader of the Yeerk forces on Earth, having inherited the planet from Edriss 562, who was Visser One at...
- Jara Hamee
- Ket Halpak
- Tom Berenson
- Hedrick Chapman
Minor characters
Publication
Each book in the series revolved around a given event during the war waged between the Animorphs and the invading Yeerks, the first book detailing how the Animorphs came to have their power. Within a year and a half after the first book was published, the series had close to ten million copies in print, with Scholastic claiming a "stronger initial sell-in," than any of its other series up to that time. The series debut was proceeded by a large marketing campaign which included posters on buildings, giveaway items in bookstores, and ads on Nickelodeon TV.American editions
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the books were most popular as A5-sized paperback volumes, and were usually between 150 and 200 pages long, divided into just under thirty chapters.
As of the eighth book, The Alien
The Alien (Animorphs)
The Alien is the eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is the first book narrated by Ax.-Plot:...
, the Animorphs logo, the author's name, and the book's title were printed in glossy, metallic-look ink, rather than the flat colors that had been used for the first seven books. In addition, the author's name and book title were surrounded by solid black rectangles. The majority of the books in the series were printed only in "metallic-ink editions". All further reprintings of the first seven books had this treatment applied to them as well.
The Revelation (Animorphs)
The Revelation is the forty-fifth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Ellen Geroux. It is the first book in the ten-book arc that finalized the story of the Animorphs...
had yet another treatment applied to the cover, a variation on the new metallic style; the change affected only the main 'Animorphs' logo: instead of consisting of white letters superimposed on a metallic, colored background, the last ten books featured a logo with colored letters over a dark grey background, in contrast with the white logo background from the series' "opening arc". The final book, #54 The Beginning
The Beginning (Animorphs)
The Beginning is the fifty-fourth and final book in the Animorphs series. Unlike other Animorphs books in the main series, but similar to the Megamorphs, all characters conduct narration instead of just one.-Plot summary:...
had a unique cover style, with the logo consisting of a glowing outline.
Every book featured an introduction
Introduction (essay)
An introduction is a beginning section which states the purpose and goals of the following writing. The introduction is usually interesting and it intrigues the reader and causes him or her to want to read on. The sentence in which the introduction begins can be a question or just a statement...
to the series on the back cover, in the voice of Jake, one of the Animorphs.
We can't tell you who we are. Or where we live. It's too risky, and we've got to be careful. Really careful. So we don't trust anyone. Because if they find us... well, we just won't let them find us..
The thing you should know is that everyone is in really big trouble. Yeah. Even you.
As of book 51, The Absolute
The Absolute (Animorphs)
The Absolute, published in 2001, is the fifty-first book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:...
, the introduction read as follows:
Here's the deal these days: They know exactly who we are. They know exactly where we live. We've got a few secrets left, and we're gonna use them. But just know that the end is coming. And we don't know how much longer we can do this. How much longer can we fight.
What about you? Where will you be when it ends? Think about it. Think hard. Because the countdown has already begun...
In addition to this text, each book also carried an introduction, or teaser of sorts, to its own storyline.
Another interesting feature of the books was a flipbook composed of the bottom right-hand corners of all of the book's pages. A step of the cover morph was printed on each page, less than an inch tall, in black-and-white. When the pages were flipped from front to back, the narrating Animorph could be seen morphing into the animal.
International editions
The Animorphs series was printed in over twenty-five languages and other English-language markets, and the books in those countries sometimes had different designs, layouts, cover quotes, and even different cover morphs, as is the case for the fifth book, The PredatorThe Predator (Animorphs)
The Predator, published in 1996 and written by K.A. Applegate, is the fifth book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:Ax wishes to return to the Andalite home world, and to do so, he needs a ship...
, whose UK edition showed Marco
Marco (Animorphs)
Marco is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series, Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned.-Biography:...
morphing into a lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, in contrast to the American edition's gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
morph. Japanese-language covers were hand-drawn; The Invasion
The Invasion (Animorphs)
The Invasion, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the first book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:...
showed Jake morphing into his dog Homer, a morph that was featured on the cover of The Threat
The Threat (Animorphs)
The Threat is the twenty-first book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Jake. It is the second book in the David trilogy.-Plot summary:...
in the American editions. Gallimard Jeunesse
Gallimard Jeunesse
Gallimard Jeunesse is a French publisher of children's books. It is a subsidiary of Éditions Gallimard.It is the publisher of the French version of Animorphs, The English Roses by Madonna, Pokémon chapter books and Harry Potter books...
is the French publisher and Tammi
Tammi
Tammi has multiple meanings.* Tammi is a Finnish publishing company, named after the Finnish word for "oak".* Jukka Tammi, Finnish Ice Hockey Goaltender* Tammi Terrell, American Motown singer...
is the Finnish publisher. The German publisher, Ravensburger
Ravensburger
Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH is a German game company. It is a leader in the European puzzle market.-History:The company was founded by Otto Robert Maier with seat in Ravensburg, a town in Upper Swabia in southern Germany. He began publishing in 1883 with his first author contract...
, has also published some of the volumes as audio plays
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
.
Animorph Classics
Scholastic is releasing the first six books of the series with new lenticular covers and will be updated and released in 2011 and 2012.The common text that each book has on its back has been shortened to:
We can't tell you who we are. Or where we live. It's too risky, and we've got to be careful. But everyone is in danger. Yeah. Even you.
Character ages
Throughout the publication of the series, there was some dispute about the exact ages of the Animorphs at the time they obtained the ability to morph. However, with the help of various hints in the course of the series, many fans guessed their ages to be approximately 13-14 (with 13 being the more likely) at the start. For example, at the beginning of the first book, The InvasionThe Invasion (Animorphs)
The Invasion, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the first book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:...
, Jake mentions having tried out for his junior high basketball team and not making the team; this puts Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel, and Tobias, at the very least, around the age of 11-14 as junior high (or middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
) in the United States is generally grade 6-8. However, as Marco describes them as "idiot teenagers with a death wish" in the first book, it's very likely that some or most of them are older than 12. This is also supported in book two, The Visitor
The Visitor (Animorphs)
The Visitor, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the second book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:...
, when Rachel looks at a photo "taken a couple of years ago" of her and Melissa Chapman, taken on Melissa's "twelfth birthday, or some birthday". Although Rachel cannot remember what birthday it was, this supports the idea that the Animorphs are 13 or 14. And in #41: The Familiar
The Familiar (Animorphs)
The Familiar is the forty-first book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Ellen Geroux. It is narrated by Jake.The cover quote is "They're out of sight...
, Jake wakes up one morning as a 25-year-old, and in the preview for that book in the previous one, it says he sleeps for a decade, suggesting his age was 15 before his journey into the future.
The publication of book #53
The Answer (Animorphs)
The Answer is the fifty-third and penultimate book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:After the destruction of the Yeerk pool, Jake, Tobias, and Marco witness the Yeerks destroying the last remnants of their hometown and watch as the Pool ship lands amidst the destruction...
offered a definite answer to the question of age. Jake says outright at the start of chapter 2 in #53 that he is 16, started the war when he was 13, and has been fighting the war for over three years. Marco also states in chapter 8 of book#54
The Beginning (Animorphs)
The Beginning is the fifty-fourth and final book in the Animorphs series. Unlike other Animorphs books in the main series, but similar to the Megamorphs, all characters conduct narration instead of just one.-Plot summary:...
that Jake is sixteen. Throughout the course of book #54, 2 or 3 more years passed. Cassie mentions that she is 19 in her final scene of book #54, although the other characters' ages are never explicitly confirmed. In the end, the characters are either 19 or 20 years old depending on how long they had been in space just before the series' conclusion.
See also
- Animorphs (TV series)Animorphs (TV series)Animorphs is a 26-episode television adaptation made by Nickelodeon of the Scholastic book series of the same name. The series was broadcast from September 1998 to March 2000 in the United States and Canada...
- List of species (Animorphs)
- List of Animorphs books
- Chronological list of Animorphs booksChronological list of Animorphs booksThis is a chronological list of the Animorphs books by K.A. Applegate, as applies to storyline continuity.*The Andalite Chronicles...
- Andalite terminologyAndalite terminologyA compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the...
- Hork-Bajir terminology
- Animorphs (toy)Animorphs (toy)Animorphs toys are animals which transform into characters from the Animorphs book and TV series. They were introduced in 1999 by Hasbro. They were marketed as part of the Transformers series, however, there is no connection between the Transformers storyline and that of the Animorphs...
- Michael GrantMichael Grant (young adult author)Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and the Everworld book series, and also the creator and author of Gone and The Magnificent 12 series. Michael was raised in a military family, attending ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France...
- David B. Mattingly
- Animagus, a similar shape-shifting ability in the Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
books by J.K. Rowling - "Shifters" are a race of humans in the The Southern Vampire MysteriesThe Southern Vampire MysteriesThe Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, is a series of books written by bestselling author Charlaine Harris that were first published in 2001 and now serve as the source material for the HBO television series True Blood...
novels by Charlaine Harris. They transform into animals in the same way as Animorphs - by being close to them and mimicing their form.