The Somebodies [Hardcover]

N. E. Bode (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

There is a city beneath New York City, one made by and for Anybodies. There you can find Bing Chubb's Ballpark, Willy Fattler's ever–changing Underground Hotel, and a castle whose spire sticks up into the dirt–filled sky...dangerously close to the rear ends of unsuspecting picnic–goers in Central Park. It's an extraordinary place, but it is in danger of becoming ordinary because of the nefarious Blue Queen. Somebody has to stop her, and if anybody is going to, nobody is better than everybody's favorite Anybody. In her third quirky adventure, Fern takes on the biggest, baddest, bluest opponent ever. Yikes!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–This final book in the trilogy barrels along at breakneck pace. Young Fern is a royal Anybody, possessed of transformative powers. Her fellow Anybodies inhabit a city under Manhattan, but Fern lives aboveground with her aging grandmother, the Great Realdo, and her ineffectual Anybody father in a house made entirely of books and also inhabited by hobbits and Borrowers. Although Ferns grandmother defeated the evil Blue Queen in an earlier book, she is losing her powers and it is now up to Fern to save the Anybodies and the world from the resurgent queen and her henchmen, the Somebodies. There is quite a bit of catch-up involved to get readers up to speed here, and a liberal amount of Victorian-like cozy asides from author to reader. Narrow escapes, evil villains, and captured souls from books will keep kids turning pages through an imaginative kaleidoscope of transformations definitely reminiscent of our friends at Hogwarts. Ferns best friend, Howard, is a robotlike wimp who serves as an effective foil to the brave and take-charge Fern, and the Blue Queen is truly terrifying as she gobbles souls from books with the ultimate goal of stealing human ones. Puzzles, anagrams, and references to other childrens books will please young sleuths. Old-fashioned-looking black-and-white sketches contribute to the feel of a classic childrens book. Lessons about being true to oneself are preachy but fit the genre. Lemony Snickets fans will welcome this fantasy.–Quinby Frank, formerly at Green Hedges School, Vienna, VA
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Review

“Narrow escapes, evil villains, and captured souls from books will keep kids turning pages through an imaginative kaleidoscope of transformations.” (School Library Journal )

“A delight.” (Kirkus Reviews )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006079111X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060791117
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gulp! Fern Will Have to be Brave!, September 5, 2006

By 

Wantz Upon A Time Reviews (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Somebodies (Library Binding)

After accidentally getting expelled from school and threatened with military academy, Fern and Howard--the boy who is considered her almost-kind-of-sort-of brother--find themselves in the secret Anybody city far below New York City. Fern has an invitation to a meeting of the mysterious Somebodies.

All is not well, as they have to take great care not to meet an untimely end. The evil, book-killing Blue Queen wants to rule over the Anybodies; and if she's like most villains, that won't be enough.

Fern and Howard must follow a series of clues in order to stop the Blue Queen's dastardly plan. During their adventure in the city beneath the city, they will earn new allies, learn a few lessons, and maybe win a battle too terrible to behold.

In the meantime, Fern's esteemed narrator--N.E. Bode--continues to dodge perilous assassination attempts by a certain writing instructor.

Be steady and courageous, Young Reader. Fern's adventures aren't for the faint of heart. In fact, it is beyond reason to expect a child like you to read this serious prose without a great deal of worry for our young heroine, Fern. She and Howard will face danger greater than ever, and if they don't succeed, horrible things will happen to everybody!

If you want to know what REALLY happens, it is imperative that you pick up The Somebodies as soon as your bookseller or library is allowed to hand you a copy. Keep it safe, because it would be tragic if the secret of the Anybodies gets into the wrong hands!

Bravely endured by Christina Wantz Fixemer (Just don't tell that writing instructor! I'd hate to be like N.E. Bode and take drastic measures to avoid that crazy teacher's wrath!)
7/19/2006

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Under the City, March 23, 2007

By 

K. Coombs (Utah, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Somebodies (Hardcover)

The best thing about this third book is the early chapters with their Roald Dahl-worthy terrible teacher and what happens to her hair, but the second-best thing is the setting. Yes, other writers have done books about an alternative New York City that lies underneath the "real" city, but this version is really a lot of fun--especially the hotel that changes its look and its food and even its denizens every so often just because. Fern and Howard are back, though Howard is just as anti-adventure as always and doesn't get to spend the entire book as a human. The pair are out to foil the Blue Queen's quest to steal souls and rule the city (or cities, since upper NYC is included in her schemes). The plot gets a little muddled in the middle, but soon recovers. Check out the first two books, The Anybodies and The Nobodies. I think I still like the first book best thanks to its extravagant, tongue-in-cheek use of classic children's book motifs and characters. Then again, you'll be happy to run across a great glass elevator in The Somebodies.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Somebodies, November 9, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Somebodies (Hardcover)

It was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. It really grabbed my attention. Don't forget to read The Anybodies and The Nobodies first!