How To Read The Animorphs Graphic Novels [Guide + Reading Order]

There’s a good chance you’ll remember K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant’s Animorphs if you were a child of the 1990s or early 2000s. It was a big deal, with with 54 novels and a bunch of spin-offs. Even if you didn’t read them, then there’s a chance you wanted the live-action television series or remember the attention-grabbing book covers.

The 2020s has seen an Animorphs revival of sorts, with the Graphix (an imprint of Scholastic) bringing them back as graphic novels. (A movie was also announced.) Adapted and illustrated by cartoonist Chris Grine, these new versions have given of the source material a reason to revisit the series while also creating a new avenue to introduce Animorphs to new readers.

Continue reading to discover details for everything you need to know about the Animorphs graphic novels, including a reading order and other handy information to make reading them easy.

Animorphs: The Invasion cover bs David Mattingly.

Are the graphic novels true to the original novels?

Yes! The Animorphs graphic novels are faithful to the source material. Each one follows the plot and character perspectives of the title it is adapting.

The series is even set in the 90s to make it feel even more like Animorphs. That being said, some era-specific references have been removed. Cartoonist Chris Grine discussed his reasoning behind this in an interview, stating:

“I did remove some of the pop culture references that were in the books just because they were so specific. I still thought they were funny because I got them since I was getting ready to go to college in the late ’90s when these books came out. I was very much in the pop culture at that time. But nowadays, I mean, David Letterman references and things like that? No kid is going to know what that is. I didn’t want [kids] to be thrown out of the story because they weren’t getting the references.”

Overall, the level of accuracy in these adaptations means that you’re not required to have read the original novels to understand what’s going on. This makes it perfect for new readers discovering Animorphs for the first time and older readers looking to revisit the stories in a new format.

Still unsure about how they’re adapted? Check out a preview of The Invasion, the first book in the series.

What age group are these graphic novels made for?

Scholastic/Graphix list on their website that the Animorphs graphic novels are suitable for ages 8-12.

However, if you read the Animorphs novels back in the day, you’ll know that they were known for having some heavy themes. The kids were dealing with the horrors of a clandestine war against a foe that took all control of their hosts. They often dealt with the consequence of that in messy ways. There’s also elements of body horror in how the morphing is described. These were told through a middle grade lens but were still heavier than your standard fiction made for the same age group. The graphic novels retain these elements by being a close telling of the source material.

Whether Animorphs is suitable for a younger reader in your life will depend on the maturity level of the child. Parents/guardians are recommended to use their best judgement and assess based on whether you think if the young reader in your life is reading for themes presented – even if they’re within the recommended age range.

Animorphs: The Invasion: The Graphic Novel cover by Chris Grine.

Animorphs graphic novels reading order

Below are the Animorphs graphic novels in their recommended reading order.

Animorphs: The Invasion: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

Animorphs: The Visitor: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

Animorphs: The Encounter: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

Animorphs: The Message: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

Animorphs: The Predator: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

Animorphs: The Capture: The Graphic Novel
Adapted and written by Chris Grine.

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Will there be more Animorphs graphic novels?

While there’s plenty of material to adapt, with 52 novels and spin-offs, it’s unclear if there will be more Animorphs graphic novels. Scholastic/Graphix has not announced any future releases, nor has Chris Grine (who seems to know as much as us) or K.A. Applegate.

Purely speculation, Scholastic/Graphix could’ve paused the adaptations to take a different approach to them. Perhaps they’re implementing rotating cartoonists, similar to what they do with the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels, to allow a steady release schedule without putting too much pressure on those involved in the creative process. (Chris Grine has mentioned he is interested in adapting the first 10 novels) However, it’s also possible that the adaptations haven’t sold as well as Scholastic/Graphix has hoped and The Capture is the final title.

The Stanger, the 7th novel, would be next in line for an adaptation if there are further graphic novels.

This guide will be updated if any further Animorphs graphic novels are announced.

Where to find Animorphs graphic novels

Animorphs graphic novels can be found in good comic book shops, online retailers, book stores, eBay, and Amazon/Kindle.

Find out if the Animorphs are in a library collection near you using WorldCat.

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