Scholastic announced on Thursday that it will begin re-launching the books in K.A. Applegate’s original Animorphs series next May. The new paperbacks, which chronicle the adventures of a group of kids who can transform into any animal they touch, will have lenticular covers that appear to morph. Since the series debuted in 1996, the Animorphs brand has expanded to include 54 books, two spin-off series, and 10 companion books, bringing the total in-print number to 35 million books worldwide.
Animorphs, which also spawned a Scholastic Media-produced TV series that aired on Nickelodeon and was sold to 35 countries, introduces young characters on a heroic quest to save the planet from evil. “It’s amazing how timely Animorphs continues to be,” Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade, said in a statement. “Now, more than ever, kids need to know the importance of taking a stand and fighting for what’s right.”
The publisher will reissue the first two Animorphs adventures in May: The Invasion and The Visitor. The Encounter and The Message will follow in July, and The Predator is due in December. “I am thrilled at the re-launch,” says Applegate, who is also author of the Remnants, Everworld, and Roscoe Riley Rules series. “Animorphs had far more impact on readers than I ever expected. I’m very excited at the chance to ratify the enduring faith of the die-hard fans and, most of all, to reach a whole new generation of readers.” Click here to see an animation of the lenticular morphing from the cover of The Invasion.
