The Somebodies by N.E. Bode

In which Fern and Howard get expelled from Mrs. Fluggery's math class and Fern gets an invitation to the Annual Anybodies Convention with guest speaker Ubuleen Heet in the City Beneath the City, a city under NY City. Fern learns about the evil Blue Queen, who eats book souls. When the Drudgers hear that Fern and Howard have been expelled, they want to send them to the Military! Fern and Howard, not wanting to be sent away, jump into the invitation and into Willy Fattler's Underground Hotel, an ever-changing hotel. They look for the Brainkeeper, run away from evil flying monkeys, and bump into the Blue Queen.

This was a very dramatic book. Full of adventure, worry, goofiness, sadness, and a disguised author. N.E. Bode is still running from the crazed writing teacher! There are a lot of silly characters and an apple that's really The Art of Being Anybody, a winking goldfish, and a mini wild pony made out of hair. You might have to mix some letters and make new words (or names).

This is book 3 of a trilogy.

Recommended for people who like: book souls, moths, and smart girls.

The Nobodies by N.E. Bode

In which Fern and Howard are going to Camp Happy Sunshine Good Times for Anybodies. They get on the bus and are driven to camp by a blind bus driver! They meet Corky Gorsky on the way. When they get to Camp, the counselors are half animal, half human (who are always drinking Diet Lime fizzy drinks) and there's a vicious mole named BORT on the loose, and whenever Fern tries to shake something out of a book, a Diet Lime Fizzy bottle falls out with a notes saying "Help us Fern! We are Nobodies" She meets the hermit, Phoebe, and learns some new tricks. In the end she meets the Nobodies, everybody lets their bad feelings out (flooding in New York City in tears!) and sails away in a giant peach pit boat.


This was a fun book to read, and I think everybody should read these books. (wait until you meet the book birds!) But it made me NEVER EVER want to go to summer camp ;) It is full of adventure, sadness, and a very scary blind handyman. N.E. Bode talks to you directly in the book, talking about his old writing teacher (who is out to get her since she called him a windbag and dimwit in the last book). She tells you all of her scary encounters like being pushed over a waterfall, being attacked by a fake Seeing Eye Dog, almost being hit by a bus, or the elevator that dropped at high speed right after he got off. It's really funny!


This is book 2 of a trilogy.


Recommended for people who like: Their brother or sister (you better like your older sister! I am one!) very blind moles, and peach bread, peach jam and everything else that you make with peaches.

The Anybodies by N.E. Bode

In which Fern, a very smart and imaginative girl, lives with her insanely dull parents the Drudgers. One evening, a man called the Bone comes and tells them that his boy, Howard, and Fern were switched at birth. The families trade kids for the summer and Fern goes to live with the Bone. Soon they move to Fern's grandmother's house, a house made out of books. Fern and the Bone (disguised as Mr. Bibb and Ida Bibb) are looking for one book. The Art of Being Anybody. What is an Anybody you ask? I'm not going to tell you.

These books are very funny, mysterious, and sad all at the same time. The author "checks" in on you or says things to you throughout the book. My favorite is "Here you should take a sip of water or stretch or look around you to make sure that everything is intact. Hopefully the house isn't on fire or being invaded by a horde of some sort." This is a fun book to read for everybody and anybody.

This is 1 of a trilogy.

Recommended for people who like: over-sized peaches, shaking things out of books, and references to classical fairy tales.