Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: Gregor the Overlander
Publication Info: [New York, N.Y.] : Listening Library, 2005.
ISBN: 9780739344859
Previously Read By Same Author: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay
Summary/Review:
I read this book for the first time in 2006 (my original review is on Library Thing) and was impressed by the adventure set in a fantastical world under the Earth. I learned a few years ago that it was the first book in a series and have been meaning to try to read through them all. And so I begin with a reread of this terrific story about a boy named Gregor and his toddler sister Boots who fall into the Underland, where lies a mysterious kingdom with humans allied with giant bats and cockroaches at war with giant rats. Gregor discovers that his long-missing father is held captive by the rats and thus begins a quest to find him. The story is a delightful mix of action, humor, and introspection. I included this book in my list of 100 Favorite Books back in 2009 and I believe it still deserves a spot in that list. Suzanne Collins has become famous for The Hunger Games (and their film adaptations), but I think this is her best work.
Recommended books: Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
Rating: *****