The Anybodies

Anybodies #1

by N.E. Bode, Julianna Baggott, Peter Ferguson (Illustrations)

"Potter–style magic meets Snicket–y irreverence." – People Magazine Fern discovers that she was swapped at birth and leaves her tragically dull parents for an unforgettable adventure with her true father, the Bone. Just who are the Anybodies? You'll have to read to find out! Narrated by the hilariously intrusive N. E. Bode, The Anybodies is a magical adventure for readers of all ages.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Young Adult, Books About Books, Humor

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2004

About the author

Julianna Baggott
aka
Bridget Asher & N.E. Bode

Borned on 30 September 1969, she teaches at Florida State University. She's married to David G.W. Scott and has four kids. Along with her husband, she is a co-founder of the nonprofit organization Kids in Need - Books in Deed., getting free books to underprivileged kids in Florida.

Today, she is a critically acclaimed and bestselling author, who wrote novels and poetry, and who has over fifty overseas editions of her books. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Best American Poetry, Best Creative Nonfiction, NPR’s Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Here & Now. For two years, her alter-ego, N. E. Bode was a recurring personality on XM Radio. Her work has been a People Magazine pick alongside David Sedaris and Bill Clinton, a Washington Post Book of the Week, a Girl's Life Top Ten, a Booksense selection, and a Starbucks Bookish Reading Club pick.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

listen to me. look me in the eyes. this book...is everything to me.

a weird magic freak girl who can shake books and things COME OUT OF THEM? a book called "The Anybodies" written by the alias N.E. Bode?! "Potter–style magic meets Snicket–y irreverence" without the transphobia of the former or the awareness of the adult books of the latter?

yeah. like i said. everything to me.

part of my books-i-read-a-long-time-ago-i'm-reviewing-now-for-some-reason series

[Luann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! I've never had a book dedicated to me, so I started the book with a smile on my face. I loved the author's commentary as the story went along - although sometimes the transition between story and commentary was a little abrupt. As I was reading, I thought I would be giving the book 4 stars - until the house made of books! I want to live there!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into it but I ended up really liking it - - a very original story and I like the references to all the books. Here's the review from Amazon.com:

Grade 5-8–This inventive novel has elements of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart (Scholastic, 2003) and Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (HarperCollins). Fern Drudger, an imaginative misfit in her extraordinarily boring family, discovers that she and Howard Bone were switched at birth. The adults decide that the children will spend the summer with their birth parents and Fern meets her father, the Bone. He is an "Anybody"–he can change into someone or something else. However, he's not very good at it. He's convinced that Fern can help him find The Art of Being Anybody, a book once owned by his dead wife, which will allow him to improve his skills–but he must locate it before his enemy, the Miser, does and stop him from using it for evil purposes. Fern and the Bone end up in disguise at Fern's grandmother's boarding house, a magical, if dilapidated, palace of books, where anything can happen, especially if you happen to be an Anybody. Like Snicket, Bode is an amusing presence within this story about family, imagination, love of the written word, the dangers of hypnosis, and how to put an army of fairies to good use. The writing is fluid, the characters are multifaceted, and the situations range from poignant to gloriously silly. Eye-catching, black-and-white sketches echo the story's nuances and add to the atmosphere. There's laugh-out-loud humor, fantasy, mystery, real-life family drama, and the potential for a sequel. What more could a reader want?–Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

[August · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS FIVE STARS FIVE STARS! Rereading this book as an adult was beyond a treat - WHY isn’t this book considered classic children’s literature?!

Harry Potter, Series of Unfortunate Events, and Matilda should all be running for their money, because wow wow wow this book has everything I could ever love: a female heroine, a quirky narrator who talks directly to us about feminism (or lack thereof) in children’s lit, magical realism that is soooo beautiful and gorgeous (things falling out of books, houses made of books, and being able to stick your hands through paintings into other worlds ?! Yes please!!!), and the importance of family and found families!

I was an absolute mush puddle while reading this and I will recommend it for every aged reader, especially if they’re in to cottage core, magical realism, and quirky stories. This book needs to be hyped way more. 100000 gold stars for ever and ever ✨✨✨✨✨

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I have a weakness for books that:
A. Contain references to some my favourite works of literature,
B. Have humorous notes from the author interspersed throughout, and
C. Are quirky, original, and thoroughly lovable.

This book was right up my alley. Not to mention it was dedicated to me!!! {No, not you. Me. I'm sure you probably thought it was talking about you, but it was definitely talking about me. ;)}

[Alexandra Floread · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my s*** as a kid. Ate it up and sometimes still think about that house 🤔💭

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story with a slow beginning but when it gets going it is a really enjoyable read. Fern has always felt like she doesn't fit in with the Drudger's. When "The Bone" shows up at her doorstep and explains that there was a baby switch at the hospital, things begin to click into place for Fern. The two families decide that the children should trade places and spend the summer with their birth parent. It is on this summer that Fern discovers some hidden truths about her new father, deceased mother and that she is one in the line of family "Anybodies." I like the authors style of talking to the reader as if having a conversation. I especially liked the kindly grandmother who lives in the house full of books and the many references she makes to actual books. I also really enjoyed the black-and-white illustrations. Although this was the first in an apparent series of books, I will defiantly be looking for the Nobodies and Somebodies next.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and silly read.

[ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is for the weird girls <3

[Joe Gorski · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

A silly and fun adventure with a lot of heart. The illustrations are simple and done in a style that matches the tone of the book. If you have a precocious child who loves to read, this would be a nice gift for them.

The author is trying very hard to do a Lemony Snicket, where they are an in-universe character providing funny observations and snippets of backstory. It worked much better in A Series of Unfortunate Events and was grating at times in this book. Also, I am begging no other authors to ever write another book where two entire paragraphs are in a single set of parentheses.

So much of children’s literature is lazy garbage, but that certainly isn’t the case here. This author understands what excites and interests the child inside all of us, even if the execution isn’t always to my taste.

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so wonderful, fun, exciting and unique. Gives a whole new meaning to the story of discovering who you are! If I was going to write a book I think it would be something like this. Also make books seem very exciting and powerful.

[Emily Hales]

This book was very important to me as a child and I love it with all my heart

[August Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for the first time 15 years ago (!). It was my favorite book, I read and reread and reread and it never lost its magic. Coming back to it now, it still holds up. As much as I can't believe it, I do believe it! Sometimes I think The Outsiders was responsible for my love of books, but really it's this one. Again, so magical. I don't feel that way about anything else.
Anyway, when I was 9, I asked my librarian for the other books in this series/by this author. She laughed at me and wouldn't even look anything up for me (because of the pseudonym? Idk). 15 years later, found out about the next two books in the series. Glad to enter this world again (:

[Madeline Clements · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It throws you into another world full of mystery and magic. It teaches children that reading can be fun. I love the story line and the pictures in this book. I would most definitely read it to a class.

[KP · Rating 3 out of 5]

used to love this book so much when I was a kid, reading it again reminded me of being young and letting my imagination carry me away

[Jenna F · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anybodies
by Jenna Foxhoven

Summary: The book “The Anybodies” is the first book of a series written by N.E. Bode (En-Ee-Body) and its partnering books in the series are ‘The Some bodies” and “The Nobodies”. This book is centered on the main character Fern, who lives with her no resemblance “Parents” The Drudgers. When she gets suspicious of things happening to her, she starts to zoom into the past of The Miser, Bone, and The Great Realdo. This book goes through crazy things like crickets from books, nuns into lampposts, monkey-like parents, and hypnotizing your neighbor who thinks he’s a rooster. All in this page-turning book, The Anybodies.

About the Characters:

Fern: The main character of the book. She is bold and brave and as you could say… unique. She is very optimistic (Because she defidently needs to!) and a nice person in the end.

Bone: Her real father. He is what you could call, a tough cookie, because he doesn’t like to express himself but loves to change from a pizza man to encyclopedia salesman with a lisp. The bone is the secondary-main character of the story, or at least, one of them.

Mrs. Appleplum: Eliza’s mother, who lives in a house partly made of books! She is the wisest of the characters, and also, one of the most mysterious. When you start reading about her, you have so many predictions about her you wont believe the answer!

Eliza: Eliza is Fern’s real mother, but died at Fern’s birth. Eliza holds a book called The art of being Anybody which is decoded entirely and is the main goal to decode and find it before The Miser does! She is mentioned awfully lot in the book, but is not a truly main character.

The Miser: The Miser is one of the great anybodies in all of the world of anybodies. The Miser and Bone were great friends until Bone married Eliza, The Miser’s true love. Once The Miser found out about Bone, The Miser immediately went after Eliza’s book which can end in him ruling the world! The Miser may seem evil, but his personality sprouts through like a volcano.

The Drudgers: Mr. and Ms. Drudger are probably the most boring people you will ever meet. With their gloomy personalities and their all beige house, wearing the same thing everyday, doing the same thing everyday, and Fern had to live with them for 11 years! They are truly, Drudgers.


My Opinion:

How I would rate this book: 8 out of 10
My favorite Character: Fern

My least favorite character: Howard

Would I recommend this book to other readers?
Yes.

If yes, what kind of people (readers)?
I would recommend to people who like fantasy fiction, and a nice flowing story with shocking discoveries and page-turning events.

My Favorite Part:
Is the ending, which I wont say because that would give it all away, but the ending is amazing, shocking, and absolutely awesome. You’ll catch yourself cheering out loud.

The Book reminded me of:
The Book reminded me of this book called “The sister’s grimm on Gum street”

I made a prediction that:
You don’t want to KNOW how many predictions I made on this book, how many time I kept guessing on what was going to happen next and then jut something even more exciting happens.

I wonder why:
I wonder why N.E. Bode made only a three book series with pages only ranging from 290-340 when I’m used to 500-600 page books. I feel that also the books in the series range off to complete new mysteries and only lightly connect with the others.

I was confused when:
The author started putting little inserts (like this) that were not necessary in the book (but were extremely funny and at the end there is a surprise :D)

I think the author wrote this book because:
The author likes to write what she thinks and her imagination is one of the best ones i have ever met. (Yes I have met her in real life) and her will to go against her English teacher’s rules and write amazing books were truly wonderful and something I will hopefully do one day (Sorry Ms. Jones)

One of the problems with this book was…and the resolved was:
One of the problems was how they rushed through the beginning of the book, starting with one day then 2 weeks later, without filling in what happened.

After reading this book I felt:
Ha, trick question? I felt like reading the next book!

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two babies were accidentally switched at birth by a rather inept nurse. Fern went home with Mr. and Mrs. Drudger, while the Drudger’s real baby, Howard, went to live with The Bone. As Fern was growing up, she often noticed a lot of strange things going on around her – animals and people changing into things that they hadn’t been before, things falling out of books when she least expected, and folks who seemed to be following her around and watching her. She learned to keep these strange things to herself, as the Drudgers had little tolerance for such nonsense. Then, one day The Bone shows up with Howard, explains the situation, and the Drudgers swap Fern for Howard for a trial period. That’s when Fern learns that she’s really an untrained “Anybody” and that her mother was one of the best Anybodies there ever was. In fact, she had a book that was lost when she died in childbirth that was written in a code that only she could read. And that book told one how to be Anybody. The Bone, Fern’s father, was desperately searching for that book (and missing Fern and her mother). There was another man, too, who knew of the book – Miser. He had once loved Fern’s mother, but when she chose The Bone, he never forgave either of them. Fern and The Bone have to solve the mystery before Miser does, and luckily, Fern comes up with an idea of where they should start and what needs to be done.

The first part of this book was a little slow-moving. There are a lot of allusions to other books and stories which will either delight the kids who have read them and are “in the know” or frustrate (perhaps) the ones who haven’t. There are usually enough clues within the text to figure out what these books might be, and most are already pretty popular among kids.

There’s plenty of room at the end of the book for a sequel, and it’s got a lot of parallels to Harry Potter. Magical girl ends up with a family of Muggles, although they aren’t particularly cruel to her, they don’t understand her or appreciate her for who she is. Girl (in this story) goes away and learns more about herself and where she truly belongs. End of the book has her traveling back to see the Drudgers (who have been hypnotized into being monkeys) who may or may not want her back (wait for the sequel to find out). The narrator inserts herself and her comments in rather a lot – it’s definitely more distracting in the beginning of the book than it is toward the end. C.S. Lewis does this far more seamlessly than N.E. Bode, however.

Still, this is a fun and fast read, and kids who are into magic and are looking for a more lighthearted romp will enjoy this.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is the very reason I have a crush on 'tween fiction. The author nails the voice - nails it to the wall! Plus my heart sighs when an author does an aside correctly, wittily and well. These books - chock full of asides done right.

Other reasons to love:
Characters in this book can shake things out of books - you know, like shake Jane Eyre and out pops Mr. Rochester - or better yet, Mr. Rochester's dog or Jane's bridal veil. It's now my new way to get to know people to ask, "If you could shake something out of a book, what would the book be and what would you shake out?" Not that you asked, but I'd find a book about books and shake more books out. See? Don't you feel like you know me so much better now?

I also love the bad guys in these books. Well, not the bad guys themselves but the fact that the bad guys were without exception once regular or good guys but then started to choose things like revenge or power and turned into bad guys and then when they are "defeated," they turn it around and go back to being regular or good guys again. What's not to love about that?

Ok. Done gushing. Read them yourself. You'll see.

[Amy Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book that makes me think of a song... or the other way around. Matchbox season's "Unwell" has a line that says,

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be

There is a character in this book who is constantly writing letters and saying, "As you know, I haven't been myself lately." I just feel like the song and the book really compliment each other- in my mind at least.

This book was fantastic! I love middle grade and YA books... don't miss out on a gem because you think you are "too old" for it. When you read a book you can be any age, on any continent or any planet, man, woman, sea creature or alien. The whole point of books is that when you read one, you are not limited in any way by the normal rules of reality... You can go anywhere, be anyone. You can be Anybody... and you will be glad you did!

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is hysterical. Every now and then he stops the story to explain that his English teacher would have been disappointed that he used a certain word. Or, he will stop and tell the reader that he promises the book will get better if we can just hang in there a little longer.

Anyway, the story is about a girl who ends up going home with the wrong family at birth. Then the family she really belongs to ends up with the wrong child as well. So, the families finally end up swapping their children back, but not until they are both about 9 or so. Then Fern (that's the star of the story) continues her adventure with her real father (but new at the same time), Bone.

Loved this book! And there's a sequel, which is good because I NEED to know what happens next!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is delightful!!! I echo what Luann said, that if this book existed while I was growing up it would have been one of my favorites.
It has funny, off-beat comments from the author like with Lemony Snicket. It has allusions to many beloved children's books, including Harry Potter. It has uplifting themes, like the value of honesty and the power of real love.
My only complaint is that it wasn't long enough! :) I think she could have developed the story and characters even a little bit more.
Still, I highly recommend this book for anyone age 8 and up.

[Runa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must for children's book lovers! It mimics the styles of Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, and many more, and beyond that, references them, too. It features a girl who can bring elements out of the books they came from and a grandmother with a house literally made of books. And the characters! They are all quirky and lovable, and even the antagonist is given a chance to be explained. Mad props to any book that can explain the effects of trauma on a person's ability to love. Easily one of my new favorites.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, thoroughly enjoyed it. The humorous narrative asides alone are worth the price of admission. Looking forward to the second in the series.

The list of well-known children's books referred to throughout the story is extensive. Well read children should enjoy spotting references to other books they've read. Not so well read children may be inspired to read these other books they see mentioned in this story.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author speaks directly to the reader, a fun twist that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Like when she interrupts the story to advise the reader to take a sip of water, and look around to make sure the house isn't on fire. As she writes: "Sometimes I would have appreciated a quick reminder from the author concerning the outside world; and I swore if I ever wrote a book, I would include one."

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fiction with a twist of fantasy in it.

Fern lives with Mr. and Mrs. Drudger they lead a very boring life. And when she finds out they aren't her real parents she meets her own. Her mother died but her father is named Bone. Bone is his name not Father or Daddy. Just Bone. Bone is an interesting guy. He is an anybody. His life opens a new world to Fern. Soon they are running off with a mystery in their hands.

[Raki Oddbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a while. Though it was written in a fun and whimsical way, it dealt with some heavy topics beautifully. The ending made me tear up a little because I found it so moving and so beautiful.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't really slowed down to read a book like this before. Kid's books just bring me so much happiness. I love the idea of being able to shake up a book and something come out of it. I hope she gets to spend time with Howard, her switched partner. Really lovely read.

[A. Musquiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit random and not my cup of tea but it was entertaining.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that this is the first book in a series saves it. The book was fine, but the ending would have been a disappointment if it was a stand alone. The story reminds me of the Inkheart series, with power being shown through books. The Anybodies takes a different spin on it, which made the story move in a direction I did not really see coming.

I appreciate the fact that this book references so many others. It would be great if children went and read the other books because they were mentioned in this one. It made me think back on the books I've read. If you could take parts of your favorite books and make a world with them, what would you pick? I wouldn't have picked the same ones as the author, but they fit the story.

The author is like Lemony Snicket, a persona used to help the author talk directly to the reader as a character. Having the author talk to the reader is tricky. It could work, or it could be a disaster and break up the books flow. I think the author managed to do this successfully.

Depending on how the other books in the series go, I may read this book again.

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 25 May 2004

[Mika Goldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Kendra for letting me borrow your copy of this book and also for recommending it in the first place. The bug wasn’t as big as I thought it would be and it disappeared under all that paper after like a hundred pages. I’ve never read a book with so many other book references and I got all of them except the one about the closet because idk I never read that boring classic. I liked the author commentation but all that stuff about the previous writing teacher made me feel like j was being left out of an inside joke. Like I kept waiting for an explanation of who this teacher is, why he’s in this book, but I never got one. Perhaps it’s just a creative take. The way N. E. Bode writes is very unique, casual is the closest word I can think of. The plot wasn’t very new to me, and the answer was a bit of a bore, but there were plot twists that surprised me. Ngl I think I was too old/experienced for this book but ay it kept me entertained. Thanks again Kendra! I’ll return this to you once school starts back up probably.