The Invasion (Animorphs #1) by K.A. Applegate
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Book Reviews of The Invasion (Animorphs #1)
Book Review: Reader Over 25
Summary: 5 Stars
I picked up an Animorophs book because I enjoy werewolf stories, and they show a teen "morphing" into an animal on the cover. Needless to say, this is not what Animorphs is about. I've read the entire series, and on a reread, I'm out to share my thoughts (as an adult who still loved the series for the most part and is young at heart) on the good and bad aspects of this series. This is the first book of a long list, and begins the stories of the Animorphs. Other reviewers have told what the book itself is about, so I won't rehash it here. These books grab readers of all ages, child and adult alike. Where the adult crowd has to look at it as being from a younger audience, it doesn't take away from the fun. The Invasion, told from Jake's point of view, begins key elements which form the main characters of the series. Jake is nominated the leader, and how does anyone deal with that? How do you take the news you're the leader of a resistance force, and maybe earth's last hope, when you're still just a kid? How do you save your older brother from a fate worse than death itself? This is pretty serious stuff, but Applegate manages to balance the bittersweet and serious with the flavor of good humor and fun. The book shapes characters in an out of this world situation, yet makes them believable and able to relate to them. The book is very quick paced, with narrow escapes, and page turning action. It starts the trend of all the books to give you insight to animals and teach about them. For example, what its like being in the mind of the common green anole ("A member of the iguana family. Like you care.") to quote Jake. As a child, I always loved animals, so this is a sure hook if not the high action to a child who is reluctant to read. It touches on true horror of watching a fellow, sentient creature die honorably but horribly, (yet done in such as way as not to make it so gruesome to provide a young reader with nightmare.) It introduces gentle Cassie, who is a study in empathy, Rachael, the independent and hot headed who might act first, and think later, and Marco the most reluctant of them all. In essence, it does what many modern 'fairy tales' now do, holds a mirror up so that the reader can see ourselves in a new and different way. Action packed, readable, and enjoyable. I highly recommend this one.Book Review: Animorphs Are Here........
Summary: 5 Stars
Animorphs is the best series books around. At first when you see it you probably think, " Oh great another Science Fiction.." Bu this is totally different than the others.It all started when Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie, and Tobias, all accidently end up meeting at the mall. Jake :The soon to be fearless leader. Marco:Mr.Funny, Rachel :Xena Warrior Princess Cassie :Animal Lover. Tobias: Soon to be the Bird or Boy? Question.
Anyway, they decide to go through the old construction site to go home. That's when Elfangor, an andalite( alien), ship comes and lands right in front of them. An andalite looks like a cross between a centaur,and a scorpion. They swing their faster-than-the-eye-can-see tail for protection.
So Elfangor comes stumbling out of his space ship. He tells the five kids that he is a dying alien, and that Earth is bieng invaded by aliens called the Yeerk. Yeerks are tiny slugs that fit in the palm of your hand. Harmless right? Wrong. If given the chance, they travel through your ear to where the brain is. Then all of a sudden they sieze control. You can't to anything. You can't move your hands, mouth,eyes, anything. The Yeerk controls all that. So bassicly you just sit in a corner of your brain watching the Yeerk do everything.
After Elfangor told them about the Yerrks. He gave them morphing powers, the ability to change into any animal you can touch. Elfangor gave them that power just before he was murdered by the most hated Yeerk ever. Visser Three.
So the kids take the power and go home wandering what to do about it. Then Marco comes up with the word Animorphs for them.
You want the rest of it? Read the book. All i'm saying is they end up going to the Yeerk pool, and something happens to Tobias that will change his life frorever.
P.s Jake is the one who is narrating this, not Tobias. This book and the rest of the series is really worth it.
Book Review: Animorphs Are Here........
Summary: 5 Stars
Animorphs is the best series books around. At first when you see it you probably think, " Oh great another Science Fiction.." Bu this is totally different than the others.It all started when Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie, and Tobias, all accidently end up meeting at the mall. Jake :The soon to be fearless leader. Marco:Mr.Funny, Rachel :Xena Warrior Princess Cassie :Animal Lover. Tobias: Soon to be the Bird or Boy? Question.
Anyway, they decide to go through the old construction site to go home. That's when Elfangor, an andalite( alien), ship comes and lands right in front of them. An andalite looks like a cross between a centaur,and a scorpion. They swing their faster-than-the-eye-can-see tail for protection.
So Elfangor comes stumbling out of his space ship. He tells the five kids that he is a dying alien, and that Earth is bieng invaded by aliens called the Yeerk. Yeerks are tiny slugs that fit in the palm of your hand. Harmless right? Wrong. If given the chance, they travel through your ear to where the brain is. Then all of a sudden they sieze control. You can't to anything. You can't move your hands, mouth,eyes, anything. The Yeerk controls all that. So bassicly you just sit in a corner of your brain watching the Yeerk do everything.
After Elfangor told them about the Yerrks. He gave them morphing powers, the ability to change into any animal you can touch. Elfangor gave them that power just before he was murdered by the most hated Yeerk ever. Visser Three.
So the kids take the power and go home wandering what to do about it. Then Marco comes up with the word Animorphs for them.
You want the rest of it? Read the book. All i'm saying is they end up going to the Yeerk pool, and something happens to Tobias that will change his life frorever.
P.s Jake is the one who is narrating this, not Tobias. This book and the rest of the series is really worth it.
Book Review: The Invasion
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Invasion" by K. A. Applegate was my second favourite Animorphs book. The series revolves around five normal teens who suddenly aren't so normal, when they look up and see an Andalite Dome ship touching down on Earth. They learn of the Yeerks' presence on the Earth, and then are left on their own, expected to defend the human race against aliens with unimaginable power.
The fact that the group is almost evenly split between boys and girls shows that both males and females can be heroic, and writing this book from Jake's point of view is a stunning change from the many books about teenage girls with boyfriend problems that we've all seen too many of. As one of my teachers at Keswick Valley Memorial School would put it, "it builds in suspense and emotion."
The Animorphs' actions do not give away their age, and the author does not stick the kids in some situation and pile false bravado onto them as many writers have done with young adults, and the fact that they are scared like any of us would be makes them very realistic and befriending. Even though the reading level is set at a younger age level than mine, I feel that the Animorphs series is in a way like Disney cartoons, and many fans would agree; you just don't grow out of them.
My mother bought this book at our school book fair in June of my sixth grade year, originally for my brother and I to share. My younger brother, then in Grade Four, beat the book all up and then decided he didn't like it. I sat and read the whole book in the living room on the couch that afternoon, and later on had to explain why I had a pillow over my face: to muffle my laughter and hide my tears. The part about Tom being left in the Yeerk pit gave me chills, and I nearly bit my fingernails clean off at the end of the book. Keep up the good work, K. A.!
--Emily Merrithew, Burtt's Corner, N.B., Canada
Book Review: Parents, read this review!
Summary: 5 Stars
Series have a bad reputation for being junky books with formula plots, but Animorphs is probably the best series for your child (both girls and boys) to be interested in. (Avoid Goosebumps like the plague!) Series are good for reluctant readers because there's always another book to read next, and kids want to keep reading. This series, about a group of kids who can "morph" into animals and use this power to save the world from a secret alien invasion, will hold kids' attention and it may be enough to get them excited about reading for life. It's certainly better than playing Nintendo all day! I am 14 and I haven't read an entire Animorph book, but I've read enough parts to tell what they're like. My brother (age 10) and his friends love the series. There is also information about animals--how a hawk flies, what a lizard's eyesight is like, what it feels like to be that particular animal. So your child is learning something as well, probably without knowing it! There is exciting action and adventures too, but it's not excessively violent. There's lots of humor in it too. So, if your child is a reluctant reader, try Animorphs. Or if your child is already interested in the series, you have nothing to worry about. Another good series is Redwall, by Brian Jacques, though it is more violent. They're also good for a wider age group--I read them too, and even some adults I know enjoy them. PS. Check secondhand bookstores and libraries, as buying all the Animorph books new may get expensive.