Animorphs Box Set [Books 1 - 4]: the Invasion, the Visitor, the Encounter, the Message

Animorphs #1-4

by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs Books 1-4 in one set - Take one alien, five kids, and the ability to change into any animal they touch, and you¹ve got a fantastic, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat series best described as "The X-Files for Kids."

Animorphs is an exciting series for young adult readers about five teens who are given the power to "morph" into any animal they touch and then to absorb its DNA. This power is granted them by a dying Andalite alien named Elfangor, who also warns the teens that Earth is being threatened secretly by a group of aliens called Yeerks.

Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax), who obtain the ability to transform into any animal they touch. Naming themselves Animorphs, 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. This high-interest series is currently a successful television show and will be sure to intrigue even the most reluctant readers.

The Invasion [Animorphs #1] - Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake, he may tell you about the night he and his friends saw the strange light in the sky. He may even tell you about what happened when they realized the "light" was only a plane -- from another planet.

Here's where Jake's story gets a little weird. It's where they're told that the human race is under attack -- and given the chance to fight back.

The Visitor [Animorphs #2] - Morphing is certainly more fun than Sega -- you can soar as an eagle and walk as a cat. But being an ANIMORPH is by no means just fun and games. Rachel knew better than anyone. One of her best friends, Melissa, is acting very strange. And it looks like Melissa's dad, who is also the school's Assistant Principal, may be connected to evil aliens.

Rachel can't tell Melissa what the ANIMORPHS have learned, but Melissa doesn't seem interested in talking to Rachel these days anyway. Could Melissa be one of them?

The Encounter [Animorphs #3] - When Tobias, Jake, Rachel, Marco, and Cassie were given the ability to morph, they were also given one very important warning: Never stay in a morph for more than two hours. It seemed a small price to pay, since the kids know that humans everywhere are being forced to let slimy, spineless creatures creep into their brains. And the only way the kids can fight back is not to be human.

But what happens if they stay morphed too long?!

The Message [Animorphs #4] - It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn't pay much attention to them. She and her friends have been having nightmares ever since they acquired the power to morph. But when Cassie discovers that Tobias has been having dreams too -- the exact same dreams -- about the ocean, and a voice that's calling to them for help, she decides it's time to start listening.

Now she and the others have to figure out if the dreams are a message, or a trap.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction

740 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

also published under the name Katherine Applegate

Reviews

[Chueca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorky as it may be these books made me a reader. Due to difficulty in digesting this large complicated world and trying to learn how to read at the same time (aka dyslexia) as a young person- I did not become fully fluent in reading until maybe one book before this series and then, certainly and officially for ever after. I loved and love so many things about it. I loved the changing characters on the page corners. I loved the characters ability to change and communicate differently with one another. I loved that there was more that ONE girl character and some of the characters were youth of color. This series jump started me to become the avaricious reader that I am today. Love it!

[Hira]

Ive read every book in this series/related series. Dont laugh. I learned a huge amount of trivial knowledge about a multitude of animals because of these books!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finalmente entendí por qué tanta gente la recomendaba tanto. Esta serie es ridículamente adictiva, en especial porque el mundo desde un inicio es súper denso. No me esperaba que en realidad fuera acerca de niños guerrilleros peleando para salvar la Tierra y tomando un montón de decisiones morales una y otra vez en cada libro, y cómo los va afectando, ya que se comportan como niños en situaciones extremas. Un punto extra porque hay un montón de cultura pop que ellos experimentan que recuerdo de mi infancia.

[Elspeth Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like Sci-fi as a rule but this series is far to bizarre. Elements were good but as a whole it felt like one of those action movies that is all cgi and over the top no stop drama to cover up bad acting. I'm not saying the writer cant write i just think she crammed to much in at once and that has blotted out what could have been a good story. As a teenager maybe I would have found this fun but as an adult it just doesn't present the sort of challenge I look for in scifi

[Hadi Wijaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series has good imagination and good drama. The favorite character is Tobias who has very depressing and miserable life. Although it is full of fantasy, most of them is still believable.

"Together we fight!!!"

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are great for reluctant boy readers. I have recommended them to various friends with boys and in most cases, it got them reading. I enjoyed them too. The series never really resolves itself (from what I could tell) but the first 15 or so books are great.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some people had the Babysitters Club or the Boxcar Children. I had the Redwall series and the Animorphs. Enough said.

Not entirely sure how many of these I read. Apparently she wrote 50+ of these, and I know I read at least 20.

[Miller Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these books as a kid. Read one per day for weeks until there were none left to read.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the books I used to read when I was a child now I realize how dorky the book sounds when I read it but it was a very important book in my childhood

[Reiroshu · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved them when I was a kid

[Jeffree · Rating 5 out of 5]

good books