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Animorphs #2
The Visitor
If someone told you Earth was under a silent attack, there's a good chance you'd think they are pretty strange. If that same person said Earth's only means of defence depends on the actions and powers of five kids, you'd probably start to look for a quick exit. Guess what? Its all true.
Rachel and her friends know they were in for some pretty strange stuff from the very beginning. How often do you run into a dying alien who gives you the power to morph into any animal you touch? But that was before they knew what they would be up against. Now they know. And they know what they have to do. Before it's too late...
Rachel and her friends know they were in for some pretty strange stuff from the very beginning. How often do you run into a dying alien who gives you the power to morph into any animal you touch? But that was before they knew what they would be up against. Now they know. And they know what they have to do. Before it's too late...
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1996
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1791 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Applegate
251 books486 followersalso published under the name Katherine Applegate
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 679 reviews
November 29, 2021
My nostalgia came back with a vengeance. 😂
After reading a Goosebumps book this past fall for old time’s sake and because of Halloween, I realized how much fun it was to take a trip down memory lane and decided to pick up another book from my youth. This book in this series is one of those. And it’s particularly special because it came out on my 7th birthday. 🤣
This is a 90’s book so the references and slang date themselves at times, but if nothing else I got a good chuckle out of it.
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this but I actually had a blast reading this. I wasn’t expecting much as I figured I was probably an easily impressed kid who thought every book was amazing, but was I wrong! I actually felt invested in the characters (even though I didn’t start with the first book.) There were some fun and tense scenes and the lore is something you have to get comfortable with after a while, but it was entertaining!
I might end up reading more from the series one day because the book left off on a cliffhanger and I really want to know what happens. 😂
4⭐️
After reading a Goosebumps book this past fall for old time’s sake and because of Halloween, I realized how much fun it was to take a trip down memory lane and decided to pick up another book from my youth. This book in this series is one of those. And it’s particularly special because it came out on my 7th birthday. 🤣
This is a 90’s book so the references and slang date themselves at times, but if nothing else I got a good chuckle out of it.
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this but I actually had a blast reading this. I wasn’t expecting much as I figured I was probably an easily impressed kid who thought every book was amazing, but was I wrong! I actually felt invested in the characters (even though I didn’t start with the first book.) There were some fun and tense scenes and the lore is something you have to get comfortable with after a while, but it was entertaining!
I might end up reading more from the series one day because the book left off on a cliffhanger and I really want to know what happens. 😂
4⭐️
April 2, 2015
We continue my epic re-read of the Animorphs series with book 2, because I’m boring and read series in order, OK?
Animorphs resembles an after-school kids show: each book is like an episode of the show in which the kids have an adventure while learning an important life lesson. In The Invasion the lesson was, “Yes, your principal is an alien bent on enslaving humanity.” The Visitor is about the harsh effects of marital strife on children and their friendships.
We are eternally indebted to The Invasion for kicking off the series. As I explored in my first review, it is a great series opener. Nevertheless, as a story it has a lot of problems. Applegate has to do a lot of heavy lifting to establish the ground rules of the series. If that book is all about the Animorphs getting powers, then The Visitor, as the sequel, is about them exploring what it means to have powers, and the consequences of discovering an alien invasion in progress.
I criticized Applegate’s writing on a technical level. While I stand by that criticism in general, I have to backtrack and admit that there is one area in which her powers of description excel: describing the experience of a new morph.
This isn’t like television, where we can see someone turn into an animal. And I would argue that television is a less useful form here, because it’s harder to telegraph what someone is feeling as they become that animal. It’s hard enough to do that in writing, but Applegate manages. She doesn’t stop after describing the physical transformation. No, she puts effort into communicating the psychological effect of having that animal’s instincts, and she does so with deftness. Here’s Rachel on becoming a cat named Fluffer McKitty:
Applegate could have remarked on the cat’s cool night vision and left it at that. I love this extra touch. It’s accurate and apt and entirely on a level that both kids and adults can relate to. Becoming another animal isn’t just about looking different and walking on four legs or having wings. It’s a whole new way of viewing the world and a different set of priorities.
The narration and descriptions of other things are still underwhelming. But I can live with that to get more of the above.
Rachel is our narrator this time around. She fills the roles both of Action Girl and Girly Girl in our band of merry alien resistance fighters. That’s right: Rachel is athletic and aggressive and dresses fashionably. What’s up with that?
I’m being deliberately flip and superficial, because Applegate decidedly is not: Rachel has a complexity of character that belies all such neat attempts to pigeonhole her. Just as we learned about Jake’s changing relationship with his Controller brother, Tom, in the first book, here we learn about Rachel’s home life: her estranged father whom she rarely sees; her overworked mother who isn’t always able to be there for them; her two younger siblings who look to her for support. Rachel has to shoulder much more responsibility and maturity than we think adolescents should have to bear, and that goes a long way to explaining her motivations and her attitude.
If I had to choose one word to describe Rachel, it would be resilient.
Her gung-ho attitude is easy to mistake for mindless aggression, but that’s not the case at all. Rather, Rachel simply falls into the “a strong offence is the best defence” school of thought. So far what she has seen of life has taught her that no one can be absolutely depended upon. She has already learned she has to look out for herself—and for those who depend on her, like her siblings, her friends, and even her mother. And there is so much in the world that can hurt you and the ones you care about—better you strike out at them first, strike back while you are strong, than scrabble to defend yourself later.
It’s this pre-emptive strike philosophy that Rachel embodies. We see it a lot in later books—made more ragged and morally ambiguous by the fog of war, yes—but it’s apparent early on. Rachel doesn’t go back into the Chapmans’ residence, risking her life and risking exposure of the Animorphs, just to get more information. She goes back in there for her friend Melissa:
My heart did break right then. How can you not cry?
I know what it’s like to feel alone and upset and have only your cat to hold and cry against. (It is one of the universe’s most beautiful paradoxes that, while pretending to be aloof and uncaring at all other times, most cats will magically appear next to you when you are crying and purr. I think it’s a bonding thing.)
Rachel chooses to spend a little time comforting Melissa while posing as her cat. Then Rachel decides, unequivocally, that the Yeerks must be opposed and that she will be the one to do it. Because friendship. And love.
And it breaks my heart to know what will happen as the series progresses. It’s all so fresh and new at this point—sure, the Animorphs still haven’t fully realized what it means to be in this fight. They haven’t conceptualized what is to fight yet, let alone whether they might win. They are poking the anthole with a stick so far.
A lot more than ants are about to pour out.
Rachel, you are and always will be my favourite Animorph. Cassie gets the label of Compassionate One, but you simply wear your compassion in a different way. You are the avenging angel, the brightest light.
The Invasion is a book of action and discovery, of intense revelations. The Visitor is more down-to-Earth—well, as down-to-Earth as Andalites and Hork-Bajir can be…. But it’s more about hidden costs, and empathy, and what it means to be human in the face of a non-human threat.
This might be written for kids. But it’s a lot more mature than some things out there written for adults.
Next review I’ll get to praise Rachel a bit more, even though it’s a Tobias book. And we learn why Red Bull doesn’t give you wings.
My reviews of Animorphs:
← #1: The Invasion | #3: The Encounter →
Animorphs resembles an after-school kids show: each book is like an episode of the show in which the kids have an adventure while learning an important life lesson. In The Invasion the lesson was, “Yes, your principal is an alien bent on enslaving humanity.” The Visitor is about the harsh effects of marital strife on children and their friendships.
We are eternally indebted to The Invasion for kicking off the series. As I explored in my first review, it is a great series opener. Nevertheless, as a story it has a lot of problems. Applegate has to do a lot of heavy lifting to establish the ground rules of the series. If that book is all about the Animorphs getting powers, then The Visitor, as the sequel, is about them exploring what it means to have powers, and the consequences of discovering an alien invasion in progress.
I criticized Applegate’s writing on a technical level. While I stand by that criticism in general, I have to backtrack and admit that there is one area in which her powers of description excel: describing the experience of a new morph.
This isn’t like television, where we can see someone turn into an animal. And I would argue that television is a less useful form here, because it’s harder to telegraph what someone is feeling as they become that animal. It’s hard enough to do that in writing, but Applegate manages. She doesn’t stop after describing the physical transformation. No, she puts effort into communicating the psychological effect of having that animal’s instincts, and she does so with deftness. Here’s Rachel on becoming a cat named Fluffer McKitty:
But it wasn't just how well I saw that was strange. It was what I noticed.
A human being will notice colors, for exam ple. Now, a cat can see colors, more or less. He just isn't interested in colors. It's like, okay, that thing is red. Who cares?
What cats really notice is movement. If anything moves, even the tiniest bit, the cat sees it. I was standing there on the grass, looking around with my big cat eyes, and I saw nothing but movement.
Applegate could have remarked on the cat’s cool night vision and left it at that. I love this extra touch. It’s accurate and apt and entirely on a level that both kids and adults can relate to. Becoming another animal isn’t just about looking different and walking on four legs or having wings. It’s a whole new way of viewing the world and a different set of priorities.
The narration and descriptions of other things are still underwhelming. But I can live with that to get more of the above.
Rachel is our narrator this time around. She fills the roles both of Action Girl and Girly Girl in our band of merry alien resistance fighters. That’s right: Rachel is athletic and aggressive and dresses fashionably. What’s up with that?
I’m being deliberately flip and superficial, because Applegate decidedly is not: Rachel has a complexity of character that belies all such neat attempts to pigeonhole her. Just as we learned about Jake’s changing relationship with his Controller brother, Tom, in the first book, here we learn about Rachel’s home life: her estranged father whom she rarely sees; her overworked mother who isn’t always able to be there for them; her two younger siblings who look to her for support. Rachel has to shoulder much more responsibility and maturity than we think adolescents should have to bear, and that goes a long way to explaining her motivations and her attitude.
If I had to choose one word to describe Rachel, it would be resilient.
Her gung-ho attitude is easy to mistake for mindless aggression, but that’s not the case at all. Rather, Rachel simply falls into the “a strong offence is the best defence” school of thought. So far what she has seen of life has taught her that no one can be absolutely depended upon. She has already learned she has to look out for herself—and for those who depend on her, like her siblings, her friends, and even her mother. And there is so much in the world that can hurt you and the ones you care about—better you strike out at them first, strike back while you are strong, than scrabble to defend yourself later.
It’s this pre-emptive strike philosophy that Rachel embodies. We see it a lot in later books—made more ragged and morally ambiguous by the fog of war, yes—but it’s apparent early on. Rachel doesn’t go back into the Chapmans’ residence, risking her life and risking exposure of the Animorphs, just to get more information. She goes back in there for her friend Melissa:
I had stopped purring. Probably because I was preoccupied, arguing with Tobias. I started purring again. I felt Melissa needed me to purr.
She was still crying. Still scratching slowly behind my ears.
"What did I do, Fluffer?" she asked again. "Why don't they love me anymore?"
I felt like my own heart would break right then.
Because I knew now why Melissa had stopped hanging out with me. I knew why she had become more withdrawn. And I knew how little hope there was for her.
My stomach turned and twisted.
Next time Marco asked why we were fighting the Yeerks, I knew I would have a whole new answer. Because they destroy the love of parents for their daughter. Because they made Melissa Chapman cry in her bed with no one to comfort her but a cat.
My heart did break right then. How can you not cry?
I know what it’s like to feel alone and upset and have only your cat to hold and cry against. (It is one of the universe’s most beautiful paradoxes that, while pretending to be aloof and uncaring at all other times, most cats will magically appear next to you when you are crying and purr. I think it’s a bonding thing.)
Rachel chooses to spend a little time comforting Melissa while posing as her cat. Then Rachel decides, unequivocally, that the Yeerks must be opposed and that she will be the one to do it. Because friendship. And love.
And it breaks my heart to know what will happen as the series progresses. It’s all so fresh and new at this point—sure, the Animorphs still haven’t fully realized what it means to be in this fight. They haven’t conceptualized what is to fight yet, let alone whether they might win. They are poking the anthole with a stick so far.
A lot more than ants are about to pour out.
Rachel, you are and always will be my favourite Animorph. Cassie gets the label of Compassionate One, but you simply wear your compassion in a different way. You are the avenging angel, the brightest light.
The Invasion is a book of action and discovery, of intense revelations. The Visitor is more down-to-Earth—well, as down-to-Earth as Andalites and Hork-Bajir can be…. But it’s more about hidden costs, and empathy, and what it means to be human in the face of a non-human threat.
This might be written for kids. But it’s a lot more mature than some things out there written for adults.
Next review I’ll get to praise Rachel a bit more, even though it’s a Tobias book. And we learn why Red Bull doesn’t give you wings.
My reviews of Animorphs:
← #1: The Invasion | #3: The Encounter →
March 1, 2016
It's weird that what struck me the most about this second book in the series after reading it for the first time in lo these many years is how small everything feels. As the series goes on, every book features our young heroes taking on bigger challenges with more and more devastating consequences, but here, the mission is small, and Rachel's goals even smaller. It's emotionally intimate.
The Visitor is Rachel's first POV book. Rachel is the beautiful, fashion-conscious one, but she's much more than that under the surface. Rachel is fierce and protective, and Rachel is angry. There's just the subtlest start of it here, but the seeds have been sown. We can also see here her tendency to be overconfident, and charge into dangerous situations against all common sense. The cat morph that she adopts is the perfect example of this. His arrogance and misplaced confidence, mixed with his tendency to fight back against overwhelming odds he is sure to lose against, mirror Rachel's. Or, perhaps, reveal them.
So the mission here is to infiltrate their Vice Principal's house, Chapman, a prominent Controller in their area who runs the secret Yeerk recruitment group, The Sharing, and who reports directly to Visser Three. Jake refuses to use Tom as their way in again, and because the only entrance to the Yeerk pool they knew about has been closed, they need to find another one, intending to find and destroy the Kandrona that supplies the Yeerks with their life-giving rays. Chapman is the only other Controller they know about for now, and moreover, Rachel used to be close friends with his daughter. It's risky, but they decide to send Rachel in disguised as Melissa Chapman's pet tom cat, Fluffer McKitty (that name!).
Spoilers in the following paragraphs:
The more intimate tone of this second book really lets you know as the reader that this isn't just going to be a series chock full of kids fighting aliens while in the form of badass animals. It's also going to be a series that examines the smaller emotional consequences of what a war like this could do to all involved. Melissa Chapman is emotionally bereft by the disruption of her family. Rachel and the rest of the Animorphs are learning how to be suspicious of everyone around them. And even if nobody else they know is a Controller, they're already learning how to keep secrets from those that love them the most, if not lying outright. There's just a small moment in this one where Rachel wonders whether or not her little sister or her mother are Controllers, and it's just enough to keep her (and us) on edge.
As for the book itself, the writing is still so-so. I really can't stress how little I cared about that when I read this as a kid. It was fun, the ideas were great, and also I thought it was hilarious. The references are very 90s, but it was actually some of the jokes that bombed the most for me now. Marco's sense of humor is a little bit sexist. I don't think he is, but I'm sure if Miss Applegate wrote this now, she would change a lot of that. (I wonder if they changed some of it in the new editions? I know they made continuity changes and things like that. Hmmm.)
Anyway, another successful foray into one of my childhood favorites. Can't wait for our first Tobias book next time. He's my favorite, that boy is.
The Visitor is Rachel's first POV book. Rachel is the beautiful, fashion-conscious one, but she's much more than that under the surface. Rachel is fierce and protective, and Rachel is angry. There's just the subtlest start of it here, but the seeds have been sown. We can also see here her tendency to be overconfident, and charge into dangerous situations against all common sense. The cat morph that she adopts is the perfect example of this. His arrogance and misplaced confidence, mixed with his tendency to fight back against overwhelming odds he is sure to lose against, mirror Rachel's. Or, perhaps, reveal them.
So the mission here is to infiltrate their Vice Principal's house, Chapman, a prominent Controller in their area who runs the secret Yeerk recruitment group, The Sharing, and who reports directly to Visser Three. Jake refuses to use Tom as their way in again, and because the only entrance to the Yeerk pool they knew about has been closed, they need to find another one, intending to find and destroy the Kandrona that supplies the Yeerks with their life-giving rays. Chapman is the only other Controller they know about for now, and moreover, Rachel used to be close friends with his daughter. It's risky, but they decide to send Rachel in disguised as Melissa Chapman's pet tom cat, Fluffer McKitty (that name!).
Spoilers in the following paragraphs:
The more intimate tone of this second book really lets you know as the reader that this isn't just going to be a series chock full of kids fighting aliens while in the form of badass animals. It's also going to be a series that examines the smaller emotional consequences of what a war like this could do to all involved. Melissa Chapman is emotionally bereft by the disruption of her family. Rachel and the rest of the Animorphs are learning how to be suspicious of everyone around them. And even if nobody else they know is a Controller, they're already learning how to keep secrets from those that love them the most, if not lying outright. There's just a small moment in this one where Rachel wonders whether or not her little sister or her mother are Controllers, and it's just enough to keep her (and us) on edge.
As for the book itself, the writing is still so-so. I really can't stress how little I cared about that when I read this as a kid. It was fun, the ideas were great, and also I thought it was hilarious. The references are very 90s, but it was actually some of the jokes that bombed the most for me now. Marco's sense of humor is a little bit sexist. I don't think he is, but I'm sure if Miss Applegate wrote this now, she would change a lot of that. (I wonder if they changed some of it in the new editions? I know they made continuity changes and things like that. Hmmm.)
Anyway, another successful foray into one of my childhood favorites. Can't wait for our first Tobias book next time. He's my favorite, that boy is.
April 6, 2025
(Read in March 2015, January 2020, and April 2025.)
FIRST REVIEW / MAR 5, 2015
Rachel book! The Chapmans are heartbreaking, as this starts to delve into the human cost of the invasion, the small picture rather than the big picture – also the start of getting to know Rachel’s bravery and recklessness. I still love how they’re all just floundering around at the start like this. And I love, love, love how hilariously into cats Visser Three is. HE IS SO CHARMED BY THEM. OF COURSE THE SUPERVILLAIN WOULD LOVE CATS.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / JAN 6, 2020
This time around, I can discuss this book in a bit more detail. Each of these first few books is establishing each Animorph’s motivation for joining the fight, and Rachel’s is touching and painful and awful. Yeerk infestation is like Capgras syndrome made real, and seeing the cost from the ground-up like this is devastating:
We’re also continuing to get acquainted with the characters’ personalities, this delicate balance of their five characterisations and their push-and-pull with each other, and even little touches of foreshadowing for the series endgame (). One of the things I’m appreciating most is how this is only the second book, and yet Jake is already so good at the logical plan and manipulating his loved ones to get them to do what he needs them to do, for the sake of the fight:
And yet I still love the cousins’ dynamic and how it’s already playing out: seeing the places where they’re similar, their bravery and big hearts and competitiveness and how much they care about each other: ‘Yeah, right. Like I was going to abandon you.’ ♥ ♥ ♥
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but this middle-grade/YA remains so much darker and more touching than it had any right to be. Continues to pay off on rereads.
All my other favourite quotes moved to gdocs.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / APR 6, 2025
My heart aches; the Chapmans remain so devastating, and Rachel’s ferocious heart is so huge. Similarly, I love that despite being the stereotypically pretty blonde who likes shopping and gymnastics, she also gets the biggest bird morph as the bald eagle, and the biggest battle morph as the elephant and there’s no dainty prettiness about that form when she wades into the fight.
And the toll of the war is already painful to follow: several of the Animorphs are already waking up screaming and vomiting from trauma nightmares, and this is only the second book.
FIRST REVIEW / MAR 5, 2015
Rachel book! The Chapmans are heartbreaking, as this starts to delve into the human cost of the invasion, the small picture rather than the big picture – also the start of getting to know Rachel’s bravery and recklessness. I still love how they’re all just floundering around at the start like this. And I love, love, love how hilariously into cats Visser Three is. HE IS SO CHARMED BY THEM. OF COURSE THE SUPERVILLAIN WOULD LOVE CATS.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / JAN 6, 2020
This time around, I can discuss this book in a bit more detail. Each of these first few books is establishing each Animorph’s motivation for joining the fight, and Rachel’s is touching and painful and awful. Yeerk infestation is like Capgras syndrome made real, and seeing the cost from the ground-up like this is devastating:
Next time Marco asked why we were fighting the Yeerks, I knew I would have a whole new answer. Because they destroy the love of parents for their daughter. Because they made Melissa Chapman cry in her bed with no one to comfort her but a cat.
It was a small answer, I guess. I mean, it wasn’t some high-sounding answer about the entire human race. It was just about this one girl. My friend. Whose heart was broken because her parents were no longer really her parents.
We’re also continuing to get acquainted with the characters’ personalities, this delicate balance of their five characterisations and their push-and-pull with each other, and even little touches of foreshadowing for the series endgame (). One of the things I’m appreciating most is how this is only the second book, and yet Jake is already so good at the logical plan and manipulating his loved ones to get them to do what he needs them to do, for the sake of the fight:
“If there were some way for us to get close to Chapman…” Jake let the words hang in the air. He carefully didn’t look at me. But I knew what he meant. He’d obviously been thinking about this for a while.
“Melissa?” I asked.
He nodded. “It’s a possibility.”
[…]
I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Jake was right, of course. Chapman was the logical lead to follow. And Melissa was our way to get close. It made sense. It made sense for me to betray an old friend.
It also made me feel like dirt.
And yet I still love the cousins’ dynamic and how it’s already playing out: seeing the places where they’re similar, their bravery and big hearts and competitiveness and how much they care about each other: ‘Yeah, right. Like I was going to abandon you.’ ♥ ♥ ♥
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but this middle-grade/YA remains so much darker and more touching than it had any right to be. Continues to pay off on rereads.
All my other favourite quotes moved to gdocs.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / APR 6, 2025
My heart aches; the Chapmans remain so devastating, and Rachel’s ferocious heart is so huge. Similarly, I love that despite being the stereotypically pretty blonde who likes shopping and gymnastics, she also gets the biggest bird morph as the bald eagle, and the biggest battle morph as the elephant and there’s no dainty prettiness about that form when she wades into the fight.
And the toll of the war is already painful to follow: several of the Animorphs are already waking up screaming and vomiting from trauma nightmares, and this is only the second book.
June 30, 2024
Animorphs. The books the cool kids read and I could never get my hands on. Yep, another one of them. I accidentally thought this was the first book in the series so man... was I confused.
Regardless, I need to read the first book and reread this one because this series is actually super cool. I remember these books being EVERYWHERE but my parents wouldn't let me read them. The school was also out of them, so was the library. My city ate these books up.
The science fiction aspect is intriguing and I really am glad I got to finally pick it up. It's so cool and weird and odd... I think it's a great middle grade read book. But, the first book needs to give me all of the info I didn't understand in the second book for me to keep going. And I want to keep going. The science nature wasn't re-explained in book two, which is disappointing. But regardless, a great read.
Three out of five stars.
Regardless, I need to read the first book and reread this one because this series is actually super cool. I remember these books being EVERYWHERE but my parents wouldn't let me read them. The school was also out of them, so was the library. My city ate these books up.
The science fiction aspect is intriguing and I really am glad I got to finally pick it up. It's so cool and weird and odd... I think it's a great middle grade read book. But, the first book needs to give me all of the info I didn't understand in the second book for me to keep going. And I want to keep going. The science nature wasn't re-explained in book two, which is disappointing. But regardless, a great read.
Three out of five stars.
April 2, 2016
Despite the short read and maturity level...I am....
Hooked.
Hooked.
January 13, 2020
Bumped to five stars because I fucking love Rachel. The first time I read these was in middle school/high school, and I feel like if middle school/high school me could see 2020 me, she'd think I was Rachel. The girl's got all the self-confidence I was desperately searching for at that age. The Chapman storyline in this book made me super-emotional too (thanks, KAA) and I still want nothing more than to morph one of my cats.
-----
Picking up where the first installment left off, this book has a great subplot involving Rachel's friend (and Chapman's daughter) Melissa. Minor continuity thing I noticed: Cassie at one point tells Rachel she has four morphs -- "more than any of us". But didn't Jake, by this point, have four already? Dog, tiger, lizard, and falcon? *side-eyes Cassie*
-----
Picking up where the first installment left off, this book has a great subplot involving Rachel's friend (and Chapman's daughter) Melissa. Minor continuity thing I noticed: Cassie at one point tells Rachel she has four morphs -- "more than any of us". But didn't Jake, by this point, have four already? Dog, tiger, lizard, and falcon? *side-eyes Cassie*
November 22, 2025
4.25 stars
May 2, 2011
Jake's Review: There was a little too much talking and not enough action in this one, I think maybe because it was narrated by a girl. (Mom's note: points for knowing the word narrated, smack upside the head for the sexist comment). There was lots of funny and gross stuff which I liked. Liked the part where Jake turns into a lion. I don't like the Taxxon dudes because they are super scary. I think this would be awesome if they remade it into a movie or TV show -- not like the old one you showed me. Hopefully the next story will be told by Marco -- you are going to buy me more of the series right mom. (Mom's note: darn straight I will, I have to make sure you become a lifelong reader -- unlike some other male members of this family)
Jake's Rating: 9/10
Mom's Review: I can see why Jake didn't like this one as much as the first story, it s narrated by a girl. There is also a lot less action than in the introductory story. That being said, I enjoyed it more than the first one. Found it fascinating when the kids morphed into the animals and described their experiences as the animal. Sort of a way of teaching the kids something, but not having them realize it. I think this will be a great series for both boys and girls, as long as they keep switching the narration up. I never read the Animorphs series before, so I don't know if these are just reprints or updated stories. What is nice if it is just a reprint, the stories are told in such a way that it won't become dated. I Like that there are strong female characters in it. That's right lovely son, chicks can and do kick a**. A good continuation of the story and I actually look forward to reading the rest of the series. That is right followers -- I have never grown up.
Mom's Rating: 9/10
We received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review
Jake's Rating: 9/10
Mom's Review: I can see why Jake didn't like this one as much as the first story, it s narrated by a girl. There is also a lot less action than in the introductory story. That being said, I enjoyed it more than the first one. Found it fascinating when the kids morphed into the animals and described their experiences as the animal. Sort of a way of teaching the kids something, but not having them realize it. I think this will be a great series for both boys and girls, as long as they keep switching the narration up. I never read the Animorphs series before, so I don't know if these are just reprints or updated stories. What is nice if it is just a reprint, the stories are told in such a way that it won't become dated. I Like that there are strong female characters in it. That's right lovely son, chicks can and do kick a**. A good continuation of the story and I actually look forward to reading the rest of the series. That is right followers -- I have never grown up.
Mom's Rating: 9/10
We received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review
January 22, 2022
Come check out my 4 hour 35 minute deep dive into reading every single Animorphs book for the first time on YouTube. I recap and review all of the books from the main series: https://youtu.be/H8kUM2q3CIU
July 18, 2022
Rachel morphs into vice principal Chapman’s cat to see if he can lead them to the Yeerk pool, which the Yeerks need to visit frequently to survive.
Rachel is a very strong character and she dominates the pages. It’s a decent plot that shows us the devastating effects of the Yeerk invasion on humans, not only on the human hosts but also their families. This is done on an intimate and small scale, which makes it easy to care about the characters.
Rachel is a very strong character and she dominates the pages. It’s a decent plot that shows us the devastating effects of the Yeerk invasion on humans, not only on the human hosts but also their families. This is done on an intimate and small scale, which makes it easy to care about the characters.
January 30, 2025
I read these when I was a kid and then I read them once again in my late teens/early twenties out of nostalgia and so I could read them all in order, and this is one of the ones that just really sticks with me. There's no big battle or anything, it's more of an espionage tale but even then they get captured and it's just about staying alive. Basically it's the YA version of Melville's Army of Shadows, which is an insane thing to say, but it's true. Not to be an old person going "you couldn't get away with doing that today," but you absolutely couldn't! This was only possible in the 90s, when 1. America for once in its life was not on an insanely jingoistic war setting (not to say they weren't looking around for a new enemy) and 2. the YA sector hadn't yet turned into a trillion dollar industry with more rigid definitions of what's acceptable. I feel like a dork for saying it, but these books ruled.
January 31, 2020
This was the first Animorphs book I ever read. :)
Happy to report that the voice narrator for this one has way more respect for Tobias than the last guy did.
Rachel is the best Animorph, and cats are the best thing to morph into.
Happy to report that the voice narrator for this one has way more respect for Tobias than the last guy did.
Rachel is the best Animorph, and cats are the best thing to morph into.
Read
January 23, 2023rachel pov! to quote lizzo “it’s bad bitch o’clock”
she hasn’t gone full beserker battle girl yet 😇 but the seeds been planted 😔 it’s interesting to see her righteous anger flare up here putting herself and her friends and like the entire world in danger to protect melissa. hopefully these teenagers running a gorilla warfare squad don’t make any more rash or short sighted decisions! anyways rip rachel you would have loved hatoful boyfriend.
she hasn’t gone full beserker battle girl yet 😇 but the seeds been planted 😔 it’s interesting to see her righteous anger flare up here putting herself and her friends and like the entire world in danger to protect melissa. hopefully these teenagers running a gorilla warfare squad don’t make any more rash or short sighted decisions! anyways rip rachel you would have loved hatoful boyfriend.
March 14, 2016
I liked Rachel's voice, and I thought this book did a good job exploring some of the issues and difficulties of not being able to trust anyone, being affected by becoming different animals, and the wider impact of this hidden war.
June 26, 2016
In which Rachel turns into a kitty-cat.
Awwww! So cute! Also, this series is awesome.
Awwww! So cute! Also, this series is awesome.
October 5, 2022
These books have absolutely no business being this good.
March 15, 2024
Rachael's POV.
January 3, 2023
a recipe for happiness: bed. blankets. tea candles. thunderstorm. reading the second animorphs novel in the dark on your phone.
nothing but respect for k.a. applegate, what a legend, what a brain.
nothing but respect for k.a. applegate, what a legend, what a brain.
August 4, 2022
4 stars - English Ebook
Review follows later.
Review follows later.
January 31, 2024
It was just about this one girl. My friend. Whose heart was broken because her parents were no longer really her parents (...) And the parents whose children had been taken from them to be turned into Controllers. It was a terrible image. I wondered how it must feel to see your parents stop loving you.
The effects that the Yeerk war has on these families and this community barely read like fiction. Many of us have come to relate to what it feels like to navigate life understanding that the people around you may be under the influence of fascist brain parasites.
I heard the ponytail guy complaining down below. "That ain't right. It ain't right that no bird should take my rifle like that."
January 16, 2020
Animorphs was the defining series of my childhood. More than any other this book series shaped me into the person I would become, it ignited the interest in animals that is my driving force to this day, and instilled within me the moral groundwork that defined my values as an adult. Animorphs was everything to me - and now for the first time since the books were published I'm doing a full reread of the series.
Thank you, Clara.
Animorphs. Earth is being invaded by a species of parasitic aliens called the Yeerks. They take over people Invasion of the Body Snatchers style. Anyone you know could be a Controller, and there's no way you can tell if they are or aren't. The Animorphs, five teenagers given the ability to turn into animals by acquiring their DNA, are all that stands between humanity and assured destruction. Only these are just ordinary teenagers suddenly become soldiers. How will they survive?
After a disastrous last mission the Animorphs reconvene. There has to be a better mode of attack than their previous method of just barging into the Yeerk pool to wreck havoc. The only entrance to the Pool is now sealed. What to do? Well, it just so happens that Rachel used to be best friends with Melissa Chapman, the Assistant Vice Principal (and high level Controller)'s daughter. She doesn't appear to be a Controller. Maybe she can be used for info on the Yeerk activities. Only... doesn't it feel wrong to use a friend in this manner? And doesn't she appear to be going through her own trouble? Isn't this taking advantage?
Rachel navigates the murky waters of interpersonal relationships and tries to deal with newfound terror and stress of being an unwilling soldier in a massive war. This book was more introspective than the last one, and told from the perspective of Rachel... is full of the reckless decision making one will come to expect from her. I always enjoyed the Rachel books, and this one was no exception. As reckless and maddening as she can be, her voice struck me as a genuine one. It was easy to understand where she was coming from.
I forgot just how quickly the series found its footing. The world the Animorphs inhabit is easy to slip back into and enjoy. Nostalgia might be making me enjoy these books more than I otherwise would, but man is this a massive pleasure. I only wish I could buy these books for some of the kiddos in my life. It's really a shame they're all out of print now.
Thank you, Clara.
Animorphs. Earth is being invaded by a species of parasitic aliens called the Yeerks. They take over people Invasion of the Body Snatchers style. Anyone you know could be a Controller, and there's no way you can tell if they are or aren't. The Animorphs, five teenagers given the ability to turn into animals by acquiring their DNA, are all that stands between humanity and assured destruction. Only these are just ordinary teenagers suddenly become soldiers. How will they survive?
After a disastrous last mission the Animorphs reconvene. There has to be a better mode of attack than their previous method of just barging into the Yeerk pool to wreck havoc. The only entrance to the Pool is now sealed. What to do? Well, it just so happens that Rachel used to be best friends with Melissa Chapman, the Assistant Vice Principal (and high level Controller)'s daughter. She doesn't appear to be a Controller. Maybe she can be used for info on the Yeerk activities. Only... doesn't it feel wrong to use a friend in this manner? And doesn't she appear to be going through her own trouble? Isn't this taking advantage?
Rachel navigates the murky waters of interpersonal relationships and tries to deal with newfound terror and stress of being an unwilling soldier in a massive war. This book was more introspective than the last one, and told from the perspective of Rachel... is full of the reckless decision making one will come to expect from her. I always enjoyed the Rachel books, and this one was no exception. As reckless and maddening as she can be, her voice struck me as a genuine one. It was easy to understand where she was coming from.
I forgot just how quickly the series found its footing. The world the Animorphs inhabit is easy to slip back into and enjoy. Nostalgia might be making me enjoy these books more than I otherwise would, but man is this a massive pleasure. I only wish I could buy these books for some of the kiddos in my life. It's really a shame they're all out of print now.
August 6, 2014
In this book, Rachel investigates the house of one of the enemies' leaders. It's thrilling to watch these kids slowly start to digest what is happening in their world and being strong enough to take steps to get involved, at their own great risk.
Notable moments and inconsistencies:
In this book, Marco reveals that one of his sore spots is the fact that he is short.
Later on in the series, Rachel is the most reckless and risk-taking member of the group, but in these early books she does seem to still have some caution in her. They had planned to do a mission one night, but when Rachel got shaken up by being a shrew, she not only admitted it, but got the mission put off. This changes pretty quickly.
Rachel has acquired four morphs in this book, which is more than anyone else has. Marco and she speculate about whether there is a limit to how many morphs one can acquire. It seems that if there is a limit, they never hit it; by the end of the series, they can all become several dozen animals, from a handful of different planets.
At one point while Rachel is in cat morph, she seems to have memories that Melissa's cat would actually have, referring specifically to feeling like she remembers being carried around by a mother cat. This jives with the previous book's suggestion that Jake has some of his dog Homer's memories, but the canon rules suggest they only get instincts, not memories. This really shouldn't be happening.
This book is the first to reveal that a fair number of Yeerks don't much like Visser Three and think he's "making a mess of the planet," but of course they don't do anything about it because they fear getting destroyed.
The Yeerk ships in the construction site get destroyed by ordinary human construction equipment. And not just destroyed--they EXPLODE. Why would the ships explode from being pushed over by earthmovers? It's also not really clear how the Animorphs got the things to start, but a spaceship designed for war which explodes when confronted with an earthmover seems a bit hard to swallow.
Toward the end of the book, one of Jake's thought-speak quotes while he's morphed as a flea ends with a quotation mark instead of a greater-than symbol.
Notable moments and inconsistencies:
In this book, Marco reveals that one of his sore spots is the fact that he is short.
Later on in the series, Rachel is the most reckless and risk-taking member of the group, but in these early books she does seem to still have some caution in her. They had planned to do a mission one night, but when Rachel got shaken up by being a shrew, she not only admitted it, but got the mission put off. This changes pretty quickly.
Rachel has acquired four morphs in this book, which is more than anyone else has. Marco and she speculate about whether there is a limit to how many morphs one can acquire. It seems that if there is a limit, they never hit it; by the end of the series, they can all become several dozen animals, from a handful of different planets.
At one point while Rachel is in cat morph, she seems to have memories that Melissa's cat would actually have, referring specifically to feeling like she remembers being carried around by a mother cat. This jives with the previous book's suggestion that Jake has some of his dog Homer's memories, but the canon rules suggest they only get instincts, not memories. This really shouldn't be happening.
This book is the first to reveal that a fair number of Yeerks don't much like Visser Three and think he's "making a mess of the planet," but of course they don't do anything about it because they fear getting destroyed.
The Yeerk ships in the construction site get destroyed by ordinary human construction equipment. And not just destroyed--they EXPLODE. Why would the ships explode from being pushed over by earthmovers? It's also not really clear how the Animorphs got the things to start, but a spaceship designed for war which explodes when confronted with an earthmover seems a bit hard to swallow.
Toward the end of the book, one of Jake's thought-speak quotes while he's morphed as a flea ends with a quotation mark instead of a greater-than symbol.
December 15, 2011
I did not enjoy this book at all.
Firstly, the information the Animorphs (Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias and Marco) obtained in this book was not even relevant to their mission! It didn’t help them in any way! They risked their lives just to find out something to appease their curiosity!
Secondly, Marco’s “I don’t want to do this” attitude did not improve, yet why did he still risk his life by joining the other four in dangerous adventures? Why didn’t he just go back to his normal life and forget that he ever had anything to do with his powers? That wasn’t explained at all.
All in all, it was a waste of time for the Animorphs and there wasn’t enough fighting and action and ridding of baddies for my taste. Very disappointing coz the first book was very well written. :(
Firstly, the information the Animorphs (Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias and Marco) obtained in this book was not even relevant to their mission! It didn’t help them in any way! They risked their lives just to find out something to appease their curiosity!
Secondly, Marco’s “I don’t want to do this” attitude did not improve, yet why did he still risk his life by joining the other four in dangerous adventures? Why didn’t he just go back to his normal life and forget that he ever had anything to do with his powers? That wasn’t explained at all.
All in all, it was a waste of time for the Animorphs and there wasn’t enough fighting and action and ridding of baddies for my taste. Very disappointing coz the first book was very well written. :(
January 10, 2016
I love Rachel so it was cool to get in her head, but to be honest the second book REALLY should be Tobias's story. I mean, he's just gone through some uh, changes and he seems too well adjusted and it isn't touched on enough. (I'm guessing the publishers wanted the second one to be one of the girls' POV because the first one was Jake's...)
Anyway, that said this book is a good follow up. It breaks my heart a little bit when the story explores what happens to people who get taken over by a yeerk. Applegate does a wonderful job of encompassing a whole bunch of different emotions in 175 pages.
I am way keen to read the next one.
Anyway, that said this book is a good follow up. It breaks my heart a little bit when the story explores what happens to people who get taken over by a yeerk. Applegate does a wonderful job of encompassing a whole bunch of different emotions in 175 pages.
I am way keen to read the next one.
Read
November 3, 2020Look we’re all making it through Election Day 2020 in different ways.
October 13, 2023
Firstly cannot believe that this book came out in 1996 and it took until 2020 for them to make an audiobook of any of them.
Secondly, once again I am shown how obvious it is that the I am number four series - I series I used to love and then discovered it was a content farm and I couldn’t forgive for killing off a particular character anyway - is basically just animorphs. Yes there’s no morphing in I am number four but the creatures hiding in plain sight and the other elements are almost exactly the same in so many ways.
Anyway this instalment was also super fun, though it becomes more obvious that this is a war story and not just some kiddie fun. This is quite dark in many ways. Genuinely don’t think they’d let this be published for this age group today because of the themes but it’s definitely really good still. I mean I never read them at the time, this is my series where I read things that were popular when I was a child that I could not afford.
You can tell I wrote this review whole half awake and I’m sorry for that.
Secondly, once again I am shown how obvious it is that the I am number four series - I series I used to love and then discovered it was a content farm and I couldn’t forgive for killing off a particular character anyway - is basically just animorphs. Yes there’s no morphing in I am number four but the creatures hiding in plain sight and the other elements are almost exactly the same in so many ways.
Anyway this instalment was also super fun, though it becomes more obvious that this is a war story and not just some kiddie fun. This is quite dark in many ways. Genuinely don’t think they’d let this be published for this age group today because of the themes but it’s definitely really good still. I mean I never read them at the time, this is my series where I read things that were popular when I was a child that I could not afford.
You can tell I wrote this review whole half awake and I’m sorry for that.
March 18, 2022
Jumping to the perspective of Rachel, we start to get a deeper look at the relationships destroyed by the loved ones of those enslaved by the Yeerks.
We also get a fresh new narration style that prioritizes empathy above battle or strategy. Although at times she feels like a disconnected caricature of what a girl is, Rachel is a refreshing change from Jake and regularly messes up in a way that was very interesting to see.
We also see a new level of paranoia from the group as we understand the constant threat this group is under. I’m very much looking forward to carrying on with the series
CW: war, slavery, sexual harassment, misogyny, blood, violence, parental abandonment
We also get a fresh new narration style that prioritizes empathy above battle or strategy. Although at times she feels like a disconnected caricature of what a girl is, Rachel is a refreshing change from Jake and regularly messes up in a way that was very interesting to see.
We also see a new level of paranoia from the group as we understand the constant threat this group is under. I’m very much looking forward to carrying on with the series
CW: war, slavery, sexual harassment, misogyny, blood, violence, parental abandonment
December 30, 2021
The nostalgia is strong. Also, this cover art is about a thousand times better than Jake's in book 1.
I love how each of the Animorphs have their own personality and skills, and in this one we see how fearless (and a little reckless) Rachel is as she morphs into a cat to spy on her vice Principal.
This is a good book in the series because we learn more about the Yeerks and Visser Three's personality, as well as see a personal side to the devastation that the Yeerk invasion is causing. I'm enjoying these fast reads and look forward to the next one!
I love how each of the Animorphs have their own personality and skills, and in this one we see how fearless (and a little reckless) Rachel is as she morphs into a cat to spy on her vice Principal.
This is a good book in the series because we learn more about the Yeerks and Visser Three's personality, as well as see a personal side to the devastation that the Yeerk invasion is causing. I'm enjoying these fast reads and look forward to the next one!
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