These were monthly columns that were held by Scholastic. Fans would send in questions to K.A. Applegate, and the Official Website would post them at the end of month with K.A's reply. Fans could either send their letters to K.A through an email form or through snail mail at:
K.A. Applegate, c/o Scholastic, 555 Broadway, New York, N.Y., 10012.
September 1998
Hello K.A.A.
I have read 1 through 19 of the Animorphs books. I wood be pleased if you would answer my questions.
1. Is there ever going to be a girl Andalite ?
2. How many Animorphs books are there going to be ?
3. When Visser three leaves his host wouldn't it be easy for Alloran to escape ?
Please Answer these questions
Sincerely
your biggest fan
DanielHi, Daniel:
1) Yep, there will. She will star in Hork-Bajir Chronicles. And by the way, I came up with her precisely because so many fans asked for a female Andalite.
2) I don't know, but a lot more.
3) Not easy, because of course the Yeerks are very well-prepared for that possibility. But you know what? That would be a cool story.
-KAA
Dear K.A.,
Hi, my name is Zach. I read and reread all of your books. I can't wait till the T.V. series starts. Are you going to make a movie as well? I have a suggestion for one of your books. Since the Yeerks think that the Animorphs are really andalites, then why don't they acquire Ax to fool them? Once I tried to print out some of the book covers but the were printed backwards! I heard that you were going to make up to #5000, I hope this is true. I have an idea of how you can carry the book series almost that far. When the Animorphs get too old to be saving the world, how about they use the blue box and make another group out of their younger cousins after they can be sure that they are not controllers?
--Zachary, age 12Dear Zach:
Five thousand books! Oh, gee, I don't know about that. If we get lucky and make it to 50 I'll be thrilled. Even the mighty Babysitters Club is only in the low hundreds. Of course, if you'll promise to keep reading, I'll keep writing.
--KAA
Hi, My name is Craig. I love your books. I'm trying to get them all. I wanted to ask you would you be doing a Taxxon or Gedd Chronicles? Why don't you do more books on Tobias and Ax? Ax is my favorite. Are they ever going to get the yeerk out of Tom, Visser3, or Marco's mom? Will Ax ever try to kill Visser 3? And one more question: Can you have them go to other planets and get some kind of cool alien morphs? Please answer my questions. Thank you, bye.
Sincerely,
Craig,
Ax's best friendHi, Craig:
I think we will do a Taxxon Chronicles some day, yes. I don't know about Gedds. We're definitely doing one for the Yeerks, and I've thought of doing one for the Ellimist.
The kids will be visiting new planets and meeting new species. In fact, in book #26, which I just completed they . . . oh, wait, no, I can't give that away. Heh heh heh.
--KAA
Dear K. A. Applegate,
Does Visser three's andalite host's family (phew! There's a mouthful) know that he's been infested by a yeerk? I think it would be very interesting to read about how a female andalite who happens to be his daughter maybe gets sent on a scouting mission or something to check out how the humans are doing on earth. And maybe she's met Ax before, and maybe she decides to join the Animorphs, and maybe one day she finds out that Visser three is her father, and maybe she totally freaks, and maybe I'd better stop now before I get too carried away. Well, that's all for now. Bye!
--Elsa
P.S. By the way I LOVE your books!Dear Elsa:
Hey, you know what? That's a very good idea. You should be a writer.
--KAA
Hey K.A! My name is Rachel. I am here with my friend Monica and we were wondering when the Animorphs save Earth, will Rachel acquire a female red tailed hawk and be with Tobias forever? Or will she think Marco is more mature than he really is and be with him? Either way, we think someone's heart will ache. And another thing, do female andalites fight? If they do, you should write a book when a female andalite gives morphing power to some other kids and then the Animorphs and the other little group will save Earth together. But what will happen to Ax and the female andalite? Oh, and K.A, one more thing : You are pretty!
Your two of many many fans,
Rachel and Monica
P.S. I don't know how, but PLEASE have Tobias back to his normal self one day!Hi, Rachel and Monica:
So you're romantics, eh? Well, obviously, I can't give away all sorts of future events. I can, however, tell you that there will be a female Andalite in the Hork-Bajir Chronicles, and there will be a bit of romance, although it won't involve Ax. As for Rachel and Tobias and Marco, it's a tangled mess, isn't it? I mean, seriously, what kind of a wedding can you have between a hawk and a girl? And would Marco ever settle down, even if Rachel decided she could stand him?
Thanks for the compliment.
--KAA
Dear K.A.,
I'm 13 and have some comments/questions:
I've had this questions for awhile now and I really want to know. Is it on purpose or did it just happen to happen this way? Jake: Starts out in book 1 and every book after that he stars in ends in 1 or 6. Rachel: Starts out in book 2 and every book after that he stars in ends in 2 or 7. Skip Tobias for now. Cassie: Starts out in book 4 and every book after that he stars in ends in 4 or 9 Marco: Starts out in book 5 and every book after that he stars in ends in 5 or 0. Now Tobias and Ax: Tobias originally would have started out in book 3 and every book after that he stars in would have ended in 3 or 8, but Ax came in book 4 and took books ending in 8. Now about this new character you got will it now go Tobias (3) Ax (8) new kid (3) Tobias (8) Ax (3) New kid (8) Tobias (3).... and so on. I understand if you can't answer this question yet because I haven't read the book yet so I don't know how it ends. You can answer this one though. How, How, How, did Ax get the blue box??? Plus what happened to Elfangors' blue box? (Back to Ax) he couldn't carry it from the dome ship, the yeerks might have searched the dome ship for just such an object. Plus they destroyed the ship so Ax couldn't have gone back for it. Now about Elfanfgor. What happened to his blue box? And as some twisted plot you could make it so Elfangor was just stored in his stomach, like the best in book 11, and have come back to fight the Animorphs.
Now I have some answers (which might be wrong but sorry) recently kid named Animorph29 asked two Questions that I might be able to help on.
Q: How dose Visser 3 get back into his
A: Remember how weak he was when the yeerk ran? He has been without control
for so long that he couldn't even stand up. Not to be considered stupid by people saying it was the venom in book 2 the yeerk in Chapman's head gives control back to Chapman he was so week he couldn't even stand up and (i think) he puked
Q: Book cover's lose clothes and normal
A: It would have been too tight and Scholastic would have been busted for putting those pictures on there kid books. 2. They couldn't make i
t look weird... for some reason beyond me. Please, Answer my questions (and answers).Dear Fan,
Well, you put me in a difficult spot because I can't answer some of your questions without giving away secrets of the "New Animorph trilogy." So, I hate to say this, but to get the answer to when the new Animorph will appear in the book rotation, you'll just have to read the trilogy.
Sorry.
--KAA
K.A.
I just read #20 The Discovery. It was the best! The "beakanoma" was real funny. I have a few questions:
1)Will Loren be in any future books?
2)Will there be any other new Animorphs?
3)Will Tobias be normal?
4)How come no one noticed the big fight scene at David's house?
Oh, Mighty Miss Applegate, I would be sooooo happy if you could answer these questions!!
--KennyOkay, Kenny, I will, despite my mightiness, attempt to answer:
1) I don't think so.
2) Can't tell you that because I haven't decided.
3) That's up to Tobias. Let me ask you: don't you think it's okay for him to want to remain a hawk?
4) People may have noticed. Probably assumed it was a family reunion. (Joke.)--KAA
hey,
I've only got one questoin in #8 the alien Ax said that Elfangor was still alive. Will he make any appearances in any books,
JohnMikeZHI, JohnMike:
Wow, I hope Ax didn't say that, 'cause Elfangor has gone to the big spaceship in the sky, if you know what I mean.
--KAA
K.A,
I love your books!!! Now down to business.
1. In Mega Morphs #2, Tobias said his most useful morph to get out of the dinosaur. What about his Hork-Bajir morph?
2.Will the Animorphs ever morph Yeerks?
That`s All!
Signed
EmilyHi, Emily:
1) Hmmm. Maybe Tobias was too scared to think straight Wouldn't you be?
2) Yes. And fairly soon.
--KAA
Dear KKA,
I was wondering...if there are so many Vissers than while Visser 3 is invading Earth, are the other Vissers invading other planets? And, the story of the ANIMORPHS seems to be going on in the US, right? So are other places in the world being invaded by Yeerks? For example: Israel or France etc.
your one-of-the-best fan,
Mike.
P.S -- I'm from Israel so that's why I wondered if there are any Yeerks in Israel. Don't worry. I'm not a Yeerk.Hi, Mike:
I assume the Yeerk military is like any military, in that there are a relatively small number of actual combat soldiers, and a much larger number of support troops. There are Vissers in charge of space fleets, space stations, various supply functions, technological research, etc. . . . And as you suggest, there are presumably many more Vissers involved in different aspects of the invasion of Earth. Visser Three is in charge, but surely he has lower-ranking Vissers invading Israel, France, Japan, and so on. So you may have your very own Visser in Israel.
--KAA
Dear The BEST, GREATEST, most idolized writer in the world,
You are the best writer in the world, no the best writer in the whole history of the world!!! I love your books!!! I have a few questions though. In the Andalite Chronicles (great book(s)) Elfanger said that he "closed my hooves off to the unfamiliar Yeerk ground", but in #17 (The Underground) Rachel threw Visser Three into the Yeerk Pool so he would absorb the instant maple and ginger flavored oatmeal. Rachel said that she did this so he would absorb the oatmeal through his hooves. Why did the Visser just close off his hooves? And when is it going to dawn on Tobias that Elfanger was his dad? And what happened to Tobias's mother? And why why why have you ALREADY written book !24! when book 20 JUST came out!!!! It is soooooo not fair.
Your BEST Reader
--Yasmeen #%&*(Yeerks)
P.S. Have you ever watched Star Trek because I think that you would enjoy it.
P.P.S. I really ammmmmm your best reader and absolute 1 FAN!!!!Hi, Yasmeen:
Man, you guys just keep coming up with tough questions. Okay, how about this: hoof closing is an imperfect solution. It works, just not perfectly. And it works better at keeping out solid foods, less well at keeping out liquids.
Tobias will be getting the news . . . eventually. I've already written the book. I think you'll like it.
There is something we call "lead time" on books. I write them about six months before they come out. You know-- they have to be edited and typeset and printed and then shipped and distributed and unpacked and eventually shelved at your bookstore. Most books have a much longer "lead time." We're actually cutting it pretty close. If I get the flu or break a hand you're going to notice a month without a book.
Do I watch the various Treks? Of course. I love them.
--KAA
Dear K.A.,
Okay, I have a bunch of questions. I could go on for a long time, and trust me, I have, but here is the basic list of questions I would like responses to.
1) How many humans are under Yeerk control? %?
2) How many are voluntary?
3) How far north can you go and still be in the Southern US?
4) Is Visser Three REALLY the only Andalite-Controller, or is that just what the Yeerks want us to believe?
5) After #19, don't you almost feel as if Yeerks are the good guys?
6) Who decides what letters you respond to, and how?
7) Did Tobias have blond hair? Not on TV or on book covers, he doesn't.
8) When Animorphs had those things in their heads from the Sharks, they couldn't morph anything too small because it would get in the way. Wouldn't the same apply for Andalite Translator Chips?
9) WOW! Look at all the questions, isn't that alot?
10) Why can't Ax use thought-speak in Human morph? Shouldn't it just be another morph to him?
THANKS! You don't know how much it would mean to me if you'd answer these. Thanks so so so so much!
--GregOkay, Greg, let's whip through these:
1) Don't know.
2) Same answer.
3) Hmm, have you somehow decided the Animorphs are in the south?
4) Good question. Is it possible that other Yeerks have infiltrated the Andalite world? Could be.
5) Good question. Here's my exceedingly limited understanding of the history of conflicts: it seems to me that occasionally there are wars that are genuinely questions of good vs. evil. I think World War II was that kind of a war. But more often wars are not so clear-cut. Most wars are a bit more ambiguous.
But let's take WW2 as an example, and let's say that our fictional war of Yeerk vs. human is that kind of war. There's a clear good guy and a clear aggressor.. Good vs. Evil. Slavery vs. Freedom. But even in a morally compulsory war, things are not always simple black and white. In WW2 we were allied with the Soviet Union to defeat the Nazis. In fact, the bulk of the fighting was between the German Nazis and the Soviet Communists. But the Soviets were never one of history's "good guys." In very simplistic terms, if the Nazis were a ten on the scale of evil, the Soviets were a nine. So we made allies of one evil regime to defeat an even more dangerous evil.
There is also the fact that while the Nazi regime was the most vile and hideous creation ever to disgrace the human race, there were heroic individuals within Germany who resisted the Nazis. The real life inspiration for our "good Yeerk." And within the German army there were average guys who may have known nothing much about politics or the actions of their superiors, who did what they thought they should do, who believed they were being patriotic, and who were often heroic. Not all German soldiers were innocent, that's for sure. And any citizen of any nation bears responsibility or the actions of his government. But within the ranks of even the most despicable foe, there are still human beings, individuals who are caught up quite against their will in something awful. It is one of the many crimes to be laid against tyrannies: that they often make violent criminals of their own citizens.
So anyway, back to the Yeerks. My point in book #19 was certainly not to say that evil should not be resisted. I just wanted to broaden the issue out, make readers think, make them take a look at the matter from the other side. Life won't always present you with nice, neat "pure good" vs. "pure evil" questions. But the fact that things can be a little muddy sometimes does not mean you can avoid choosing, or simply throw up your hands and say, "Well, everyone's a little wrong." Everyone is a little wrong . No one is perfect. You won't be perfect. But you still have to choose between good and evil. In my books the Yeerk empire is still evil.
6) Here on-line? A great guy at Scholastic e-mails me a bunch and always says, "You don't have to answer them all," but I almost always do.
7) You have to talk to the cover people about that.
8) No, because Andalite translator chips are biologically based, and thus morph along with the rest of the body.
9) Yeah. Plus I rambled on quite a bit.
10) He could. He just enjoys making "mouth sounds."
--KAA
Dear K.A.A.
I think your books are COOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!
1.Why is The Andalite Chronicles so long???
2.In The Andalite Chronicles what are those living asteroid things?!?!?!
3.Can you tell me more about your new books???!!!
--A GIGANTO fan of yours!! (G.F.Y.)
P.S.I am an ANIMORPHS FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dear Giganto:
1) More bang for your buck. Same price, more pages. What, you're complaining? Anyway, Hork-Bajir Chronicles will be shorter.
2) I don't know, but I thought they were a pretty cool idea. Maybe I should find some way to re-use them.
3) Well, I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you that the conclusion to the "New Animorph Trilogy" will rock. How's that for a cheap plug?
--KAA
Dear Katherine Applegate,
I have a couple questions about book 4, so please answer the following: (1)Why was Aximili-Esgarrouth-Ishil the only one in the dome from the dome ship under the water?
(2)How did the whale send those pictures to cassie? And a third queston from... I don't know what book.
(3)If Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil can only morph human (a mix of Jake, Cassie, Rachel and Marco) for two hours, how can he go to school when it lasts more than two hours?
A big fan,
BassilHi, Bassil:
1) Ax was the only aristh on-board. All the others were full warriors, and thus had battle stations elsewhere on the ship. When the ship was destroyed, they were killed. Only Ax was in the dome.
2) Whale mail?
3) Ax has only attended human school for brief periods. He goes for a period at a time, then leaves to demorph. Kind of wish you could do that sometimes?
--KAA
Hi KAA,
Your are the best! I was wondering if you could answer these questions for me?
1. Will the Animorphs ever morph AX?
2. Is Marco`s mother still alive?
3. How old is AX?
4. Will AX ever go back to living in his home world?
5. Will there ever be another Veleek?
Thank you for your time,
AlecAlec,
1) Don't know. It could be.
2) That I'm not telling. You'll have to read future books to find out.
3) I believe, if I recall correctly, that Ax is something less than 3 years old. Of course, those are Andalite years, so he is the equivalent of the other kids.
4) Alec, Alec, Alec. You want me to tell you everything in advance? If I did, what fun would it be to read the books?
5) I doubt it. I think the Veleek has gone into retirement.
--KAA
Dear KAA,
I know, I know, many children and adults alike have said this many times and I know your probably getting sick of hearing this but your books RULE! I am 12 years old and I have read every Animorphs, every Megamorphs, (1 & 2) and all the Andalite Chronicles. I love how everything comes together in the Andalite Chronicles! I would like to know if Rachel and Tobias really like (as in Jake and Cassie like) each other. In #1 I noticed how Rachel let Tobias rest on her shoulder and how she has a picture of him (in human form) in her bedroom drawer. Will Rachel and Tobias ever date and will Tobias ever be able to morph in human form? I would also like to know some more information about the Gedds, and the Leerans. (The Leerans are really neat!)
Signed:
_ _ _ _ _ _ (I can't say my name. You should know why! YEERKS!)Hi there, Mr. or Ms. Cautious:
You know, what's funny is that I had no idea how things would come together at the end of Andalite Chronicles until I was about twenty pages from the end. I was sweating on that one, thinking, "Oh man, how does this all make sense?"
As for Rachel and Tobias, I think it's safe to reveal that we will learn more about their frustrating relationship in the future. Will they date? Why, you don't think going off together to kick Yeerk butt is a date?
The Gedds and the Leerans will probably appear some more in the future, but, unlike someone like, say, the great J.R.R. Tolkien, I don't usually know any more than I've put in the books. I tend to be a "make stuff up as you go" kind of writer, not someone with a completely worked-out grand scheme.
--KAA
Dear K.A.
I have two questions for you:
1. If Jake morphs into an Andalite and passes the two hour time limit would he still be able to morph?
2. If the Animorphs can only morph wearing skintight clothing, then why on the cover of your books are they wearing normal clothes.
--JenniferHi, Jennifer:
1) Nope, he'd be trapped. Don't forget, morphing is a technology, not something Andalites are born with.
2) You'd have to ask the art department that. I think probably it's that the kids would look a bit dorky that way -- as Marco is constantly pointing out.
--KAA
Hey it's just me, a loyal and fanatic fan writing to ask a few questions.
1.) If the ANIMORPHS' extra mass was hit by a ship in zero space, would they morph back to a normal, smaller human form, or would they be trapped as a nothlits?
2.) Are Rachel and Cassie able to morph jewelry such as earrings? "Cuz in all the books showing Cassie morphing on the cover, she was morphing earrings.
3.) Does Tobias still have his "Dude" (his cat) morph from book 1?
4.)Why don't the ANIMORPHS use any of their old Morphs like Homer and Cassie's rat?
5.) Finally, are they ever going to morph Andalites?
Thanks for listening.
GriffinHi, Griffin:
1) Hmmmm. I don't know. Interesting idea, though.
2) Well, the cover artists are allowed some "poetic license." But no, they can't morph jewelry.
3) You know, I've been wondering why this question has never been asked. As a cat owner, I've felt guilty about this for two years. I have to assume that "Dude" was left with Tobias' various useless aunts and uncles. Incidentally, "Dude" is named for a former kitty of mine who, unfortunately, was run over. Dude was a female, an amazing jumper and destroyer of mice. She got her name because she was abandoned by some teenagers who for some bizarre reason insisted on calling themselves "The Dudes." We used to see her around and started calling her "the Dude cat," not knowing she was female. The name stuck.
4) You know, it is time to use Homer again.
5) Undoubtedly. But they haven't yet.
--KAAAccording to K.A. Applegate
1998 - [ June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec ]
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