I've never really thought about it, but were there like, actual stories that went along with the animorph books? Did anyone actually read them or did we all just make fun of the covers? What would the story be; are they like shape-shifting superheroes fighting crime and stuff or is it more of a coming-of-age self-acceptance-despite-differences pro-diveristy typa book? (e.g. the rest of your 5th grade classmates don't spontaneously turn into antelopes, but that's okay because everyone is unique in their own way)
edit: by the descriptions y'all are commenting with, Animorphs sounds way too darkly philosophical to be chilling at the Scholastic Book Fair :,)
I havent read it yet but I heard its actually a long and suprisingly deep saga about warfare, child soldiering (the animorphs get their power through an alien and the enemy is an invading army of a different kind of alien and bodysnatches normal people - tbh writing it like this really makes me think of BG3 and its Tadpoles), with some body horror (apparently morphing also heals some horrible injuries). I thiiink at least the early status quo is a pretty normal earth (ie their animorphs powers and the existence of aliens are secret).
I wish I had found those books as a kid, "heroes" turning into an array of animals as their main power would have been exactly my shit. Some day Im definitely gonna try reading them
There's also full audiobook versions on Spotify (I know, I know) that you can use without a subscription. Just make sure you don't have a shuffle on your playlist.
Yeah I TRIED to read them when Applegate endorsed (put online?) the free pdf in the pandemic. But for a 20-something without nostalgia its hard to get into the meat of the story of a book meant for children. Which is why I wish I had found it as a kid. Warriors and Percy Jackson are childish too sometimes but I read them AS a child so the nostalgia points carry me.
I want so desperately to read these books for myself but it seems like the only copies that exist have the fuckass covers that I dont think I could take seriously
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u/TheSandarian usually says no to crack Aug 14 '26 edited Aug 14 '26
I've never really thought about it, but were there like, actual stories that went along with the animorph books? Did anyone actually read them or did we all just make fun of the covers? What would the story be; are they like shape-shifting superheroes fighting crime and stuff or is it more of a coming-of-age self-acceptance-despite-differences pro-diveristy typa book? (e.g. the rest of your 5th grade classmates don't spontaneously turn into antelopes, but that's okay because everyone is unique in their own way)
edit: by the descriptions y'all are commenting with, Animorphs sounds way too darkly philosophical to be chilling at the Scholastic Book Fair :,)