IRL: 3-7 grades
No awards

In Animorphs: The Graphic Novel – The Invasion, Michael Grant and Chris Grine adapt K.A. Applegate’s first novel from 1996, The Invasion. The story introduces Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, and Marco, five teens who find themselves pulled into an interstellar war when they encounter a crashed alien spaceship. Inside, Andalite prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul explains that Yeerks, a parasitic alien race, have already invaded Earth in secret in order to use humanity as slaves in their interstellar empire. Elfangor gives the teens the Andalite to shapeshift into animal forms in order for them to defend themselves and their world until the rest of the Andalite forces arrive in a year. The Yeerks have two alien races under their control: the Hork-Bajir, a peaceful race turned into foot soldiers under Yeerk control, and the Taxxons, a sluglike species who are Yeerk allies. Their leader on earth is Visser Three, the only Yeerk to take control of an Andalite host. In this first story, the teens begin to learn how to use their powers and wage their first guerilla strike on the Yeerk forces, who maintain an underground cavern for regeneration. Grant and Grine faithfully adapt Applegate’s text, bringing Animorphs to a new readership. Great for nostalgic millennials looking to introduce their own kids to this series. ( )

This graphic novel jumped around a lot for me and I found the transitions to be rather abrupt and very confusing to put together at times. The artwork was very nice, but I sometimes had a bit of trouble figuring out who was speaking at certain points of the story. I did, however, love the layout used when the characters spoke in their animal forms. It was a story that focused on what it means to have power even when you might not want it, and also about stepping up to lead when you might not know how to. ( )

As a newcomer to the Animporphs series, I liked it. The art style is very cartoony (maybe to a fault according to some reviewers), but the story has just the right amount of heaviness, suspense, and, of course, sheer wonder(ment) as the kids' discover the extent of their powers. I feel like I understood all the characters well.

3.5 ( )

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