The Readathon: Book Reviews

Gregor the Overlander (Book #1) by Suzanne Collins

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "When eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland beneath the city. There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, baths, cockroaches, and rats--but the fragile peace is about to fall apart. Gregor wants no part of a conflict between these creepy creatures. He just wants to find his way home. But when he discovers that a strange prophecy foretells a role for him in the Underland's uncertain future, he realizes it might be the only way to solve the biggest mystery of his life. little does he know his quest will change him--and the Underland--forever.

I am so glad I found this book! This is a good, fun book. I was worried about it for my 4th grader since Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games is NOT 4th grader approved, but it turned out to be really good. It has a fun and different storyline, which catches you right from the beginning. It's a fast, easy read, and it has some fun twists and turns. The writing style is easy to read and draws you in. It is clean from start to finish (except for some war violence), which I love. I really liked the characters, especially Gregor and Boots, and thought their character development was good. I loved the relationship between Gregor and Boots. It was so cute how much he loved her and how he takes care of her and protects her. Not too many young boys would feel that way about their little sisters. Some of the Underland characters were developed well also. I thought it interesting that she used everyday, not so nice, creatures to become some of the best and nicest characters. I also like that this is a series so I know that my 4th grader has at least that many books to read before I have to find him something else to read. 

I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! Hopefully I'll be posting the review for the second book soon. I love that you can have a great book that is clean. So great.

Rating: PG   Clean--no swearing or "physical intimacy". There is some war violence with characters dying. And some of the "big bugs" may scare younger readers.

Recommendation: 3rd or 4th grade and up. I enjoyed it. It's not Harry Potter, but it's enjoyable and a fun read.