SOMEBODIES, THE

FICTION Bode, N. E. THE SOMEBODIES. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-079111-7. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. 280pp. $16.99. The Somebodies is the comedic tale of Anybodies Fern and Howard, and their adventures in a magical underworld beneath New York City. While this is the third book in a series by author N. E. Bode, reading the first two books, The Anybodies and The Nobodies, is not imperative, as Bode adequately orients the reader to the main characters and events in the foreword. In The Somebodies, Fern and Howard use their powers to change objects into reality and vice versa as they encounter colorful characters, including the glass elevator operator and flying monkeys. Their adventures culminate in a showdown with the Blue Queen, an outcast relative, whose evil plan is to remove the souls from all books. Sprinkled with real-world references to pop-culture icons and literary characters, this book will engage young readers with its humorous writing style, rich vocabulary, and magical, mysterious plot line. Ages 9-up. Reviewed by Audra Parker, University of South Florida

Reviewed by Audra Parker, University of South Florida

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