An eleven-year-old boy falls into a hidden world beneath New York City and joins a dangerous quest
A world beneath New York
Eleven-year-old Gregor is looking after his little sister, Boots, in the laundry room of their New York apartment building when she tumbles through an old grate, and he follows. They land in the Underland, a dark world deep beneath the city, where pale-skinned humans live alongside giant talking cockroaches, bats, spiders and dangerous rats.
Who will enjoy it
Readers aged about nine to thirteen who enjoy fast-paced fantasy adventures with strange creatures, battles and a brave, caring hero.
What you will get
An exciting, imaginative adventure in a hidden world beneath New York, with a brave hero, memorable creatures and a strong bond between brother and sister.
Gregor the Overlander Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Underground world · Quest · Family
Length
336 pages · ≈ 10 h
More about this book
The Underlanders believe Gregor is the warrior named in an old prediction, destined to help them against the rats who threaten their city. Gregor only wants to go home, but he discovers that his father, who vanished years earlier, may be a prisoner of the rats. He agrees to join a quest with a group of humans and their bat partners, the proud young queen Luxa, a pair of giant cockroaches who adore Boots, and a spider.
The journey through the dark tunnels is full of danger, betrayals and difficult choices, and Gregor must decide whom to trust. Boots, who is two years old, provides warmth and comedy, and her friendship with the cockroaches is one of the book's highlights. Suzanne Collins writes about courage, loyalty and the cost of war in a way suitable for younger readers. There are battles and some losses, but nothing graphic.
Exciting, heartfelt and imaginative, the first of five Underland Chronicles. It is an excellent bridge for young readers who are not yet ready for The Hunger Games but enjoy brave heroes and big adventures. About 336 pages in the Scholastic paperback.
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