The original cover of the first book in the series, The Invasion.
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Author | K. A. Applegate, Michael Grant |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre |
Science fantasy Thriller |
Publisher | Scholastic Publishing |
Published | June 1996–May 2001 (original run) May 2011–September 2012 (re-issue) |
Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) Audiobook and tv series |
Animorphs is a science fantasy series of young adult books written by Katherine Applegate and her husband Michael Grant, writing together under the name K. A. Applegate, and published by Scholastic. It is told in first person, with all six main characters taking turns narrating the books through their own perspectives. Horror, war, dehumanization, sanity, morality, innocence, leadership, freedom and growing up are the core themes 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 series was originally conceived as a three-part series called The Changelings, in which Jake was named Matt, and his little brother Joseph took the place of Cassie. The books were also adapted into a television series on Nickelodeon in 1998.
The story revolves around five humans, Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (nicknamed Ax), who obtain the ability to transform into any animal they touch. Naming themselves "Animorphs" (a portmanteau of "animal morphers"), they use their ability to battle a secret alien infiltration of Earth by a parasitic race of aliens resembling large slugs, called Yeerks, that can take any living creatures as a host by entering and merging with their brain through the ear canal. The Animorphs fight as a guerilla force against the Yeerks who are led by Visser Three.