The Anybodies

infobox Book |
name = The Anybodies
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = N. E. Bode
illustrator = Peter Ferguson
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = The Anybodies Series
genre = Children's fantasy novel
publisher = HarperCollins
pub_date = June 2004

english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 288 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 978-0060557355 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Nobodies

"The Anybodies" is a fantasy novel by N. E. Bode. N.E. Bode is actually the author Julianna Baggott. Two sequels were released, called "The Nobodies" and the "The Somebodies". It was a 2006 nominee for the Nene Award.

Plot summary

Fern has lived all her life with the Drudgers, extremely dull adults who worked at a firm, Beige & Beige. When one day, the Beige family, the owners of the firm, visit the Drudger's house, three other visitors arrive as well. They are the Bone, Howard, and Mary Curtain, the nurse who delivered the Drudger's baby. Mary confesses that she had accidentally swapped their kids. Fern belonged to the Bone family, and Howard actually belonged to the Drudgers. After the Beiges leave, the Bone (Mr. Bone) and the Drudgers discuss and conclude that they will try unswapping for just the summer and see how it goes.

While the Bone drives Fern and Mary Curtain back to his house, Mary Curtain transforms into a man, named Marty. Marty and the Bone tell Fern that they are Anybodies, who can transform themselves into anything they like, or transform others. The Bone and Marty were once great Anybodies, but they are slowly losing power. The only thing that can bring power back to them is Fern's dead mother Eliza's book, "The Art of Being Anybody". But no one knows where the book is hidden, for Eliza (a great Anybody) died before she could tell anyone about it. Now, Fern and the Bone are in search of the book.

Fern suspects that the book may be hidden in Eliza's mother's house. They head off, the Bone disguised as Mr. Bibb, an encyclopedia seller, and Fern as Ida Bibb, his daughter. At the boarding house, Fern discovers that the Bone's enemy, the Miser, is looking for "The Art of Being Anybody" as well. Fern and the Bone must find the book before the Miser, who may be plotting something terrible with his Anybody skills.

Awards and nominations

"The Anybodies" was a 2006 nominee for the Nene Award. [cite web | title=Horizon Infrmation Portal - The Anybodies | last= | first= | work=Hawaii Public Library System | url=http://ipac.librarieshawaii.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1185687MK45R1.141649&profile=def&uri=link=3100007~!1555702~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab13&menu=search&ri=1&source=~!horizon&term=The+Anybodies+%2F&index=ALLTITLk| | date= | accessdate=2007-08-09 ] ]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.theanybodies.com/ The Anybodies Official Site]
* [http://nene.k12.hi.us/librarian.html Nene Award site]