Gregor the Overlander

 

     Welcome beloved readers! I am so very happy that you are here, reading my review of Gregor the Overlander! This book is one of my favorite chapter books of all time. This is the first installment of a five book series. The author, Suzanne Collins, may be better known to readers for her work on the Hunger Games Series.
     The book opens with young Gregor, who at the beginning of the book is a normal young man who has become the man of the household. Recently Gregor's father disappeared, other people in Gregor's life say that his father just ran away, however, Gregor and his family believe that something has happened to Gregor's father. One afternoon Gregor and his youngest sister, nicknamed Boots, are in the basement laundry room of their apartment building.
     While doing the family laundry, Gregor looses track of Boots. He finds her just as she falls into a grate in the wall. Shock-filled Gregor races to the grate and shortly follows his sister. In the world they fall into they discover people with near transparent skin and purple eyes, human sized rats, cockroaches, spiders, bats, and more. Gregor and Boots soon learn that they are trapped in the "Underland" and are mentioned in a prophecy that details they must travel on a quest with the Underlanders as well as representatives of the various Underland creatures.
This well known author creatively weaves this tale of a young boy and his sister. The characters are amazing and very relatable. The reader can easily identify with these characters who have recently been "abandoned" by their father and are plunged into a world unknown. This author, like in many of her other books, has a talent to create a special style within each of the books. In this story she creates a special style of language between each of the species that live underground as well as customs and history for each of these subgroups. This well written story with its special style and characters will beep a hold of readers to the very end.
     What will Gregor find? What will he learn about himself and his family? Will he and Boots make it out alive and safe? Read this wonderful story to find out!!

References

Collins, S. (2004). Gregor the overlander. Broadway, New York: Scholastic Press.

Kateoflibraryland. (2014). Win loose or draw: Gregor the overlander. Retrieved August 29, 2015, from http://infopeake.org/blog/?p=5229

*Second reference is for the cover art.

See you soon!

-Naomi Emory, The Bookish Educator