The Suspicion (Animorphs)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Suspicion

Cassie morphing into an anteater
Author K. A. Applegate
Cover artist David B. Mattingly
Country United States
Language English
Series Animorphs #24
Genre(s) Science fiction novel
Publisher Scholastic
Publication date December 1998
Media type Print
Pages 155
ISBN 0-590-76257-5
Preceded by The Pretender
Followed by The Extreme

The Suspicion is the twenty-fourth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.

Contents

[edit] Plot Summary

Jake comes over to Cassie's barn, where Cassie and Rachel see a "toy" spaceship attached to the waterpump where Cassie had been hiding the blue box. While they watch, it detaches itself and flies away. The Animorphs immediately hold a meeting and decide to go to goodwill to try to retrieve the spaceship that Cassie had seen earlier attached to the waterpump and donated assuming it was a toy. While there, the spaceship starts shooting at them and demands that they surrender and bring them the blue box. It flies away and they realize that it is headed back to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic to retrieve the Escafil Device. Since it is a spaceship, it can travel much faster than their bird morphs, and when they get back, they discover to their dismay that the waterpump was cut open and the spaceships have stolen the blue box. There are some flashes and Tobias, Cassie, and Marco are significantly smaller. They decide to pretend to surrender to the Helmacrons which are the aliens that are aboard the spaceships. They morph to flies and escape. They discover that they are at a sharing meeting. The other Helmacron spaceship had lured the rest of the Animorphs there in an attempt to steal the blue box. During the meeting, the Helmacrons attack, indiscriminately shrinking everyone at the meeting. Upon seeing the blue box, along with Visser Three's gentle prodding, all the controllers start trying to grab it and there is lots of chaos. Cassie morphs into a whale in order to crash the ship. She and the other Animorphs eventually end up on Ax who is the only Animorph remaining unshrunken. Visser Three and many Controllers also end up on Ax. Visser Three briefly sides with the Animorphs, saying, "I don't know about you Andalites, but these Helmacrons are really, really, really annoying me." Ax, in harrier morph, flies over to the Gardens where they all acquire and morph anteaters, which unshrinks them while in morph. The Animorphs, Controllers and Helmacrons reach an agreement and everyone is unshrunken. Before the book ends, Marco and Cassie give the Helmacron males a bit of a pep talk, and it ends with the Helmacrons, male and females, squabbling with each other.

[edit] Contributions to the Series' Story Arc

  • The Helmacrons are introduced.

[edit] New Morphs

Morpher Morphs Acquired Morphs Used
Jake Anteater Cockroach, Siberian Tiger, Anteater
Rachel Anteater Cockroach, Grizzly Bear, Anteater
Tobias Anteater Human, Anteater
Cassie Anteater Osprey, Fly, Skunk, Humpback Whale, Anteater
Marco Anteater Fly, Mole, Gorilla, Anteater
Ax Wolf Spider, Northern Harrier
Visser Three Anteater 'Medusa Creature', Anteater

[edit] Trivia

  • The Helmacrons seize the blue box, and Visser Three demands that the Yeerks steal it. If anyone touches the blue box, they get morphing power. However, one Controller seizes the blue box, but seconds later, Ax slices off his arm, and takes the box to safety, but the Helmacrons snatch it once more. But the human does not have the ability to morph. However, judging from the fact David handled the blue box earlier in the series and did not instantly receive the morphing ability, it is assumed that someone who already has the morphing power (eg - Elfangor, Ax, the Animorphs) must also be in contact.
  • The front cover quote is, "What counts is on the inside. Most of the time...."
  • The inside front cover quote is, "At least it's better than being an ant...."