Author: K. A. Applegate Genre: Science Fiction Description: Five kids happen upon an old construction site where they find an injured alien who grants them the ability to shape-shift into animals. He warns them to beware of the Yeerks, a different alien species that invaded his home, with the ability to take over human bodies and control them. The friends fight in the seemingly never-ending struggle, stopping at nothing to save earth from the evil invaders. Critiques: Fast moving and action packed. Christian perspective: Although I enjoyed this series at the begining, as the books progressed, they turned much darker. Although the kids were fighting to save earth, their morals changed as things became more and more bleak. The friends who seemed inseparable suddenly would lash out at each other. Eventually, they stopped fighting because of their love of earth and their families, but deep hatred of the Yeerks. This book has lost me, I rather read about people who can fight with all their heart without losing it. Recomended for: 8th and up, if at all