Skip to main content

Gregor the Overlander



Bibliography:
Collins, S.(2003). Gregor the Overlander. New York: Scholastic Press

Book Summary
Eleven year old Gregor is at home doing laundry and minding his two year old Boots when she falls through a grate in the laundry room at their New York City apartment. In attempt to rescue her, he falls through the vent as well and ends up in an underworld. In this underworld pale looking humans live with giant talking roaches, bats, rats, and spiders. The humans coexist uneasily with the insects and rodents. Gregor just wants to go home before his mum discovers them missing but he gets sucked up into a prophecy that says that he is among the chosen group to help the humans settle their ongoing conflict with the rats. Gregor also discovers that his father who has disappeared two years earlier was in the underland held captive by the rats.
My Impression
The plot is easy to follow. There is a lot of suspense throughout. The author makes the characters likeable such as the roaches that protect Boots and Gregor. There are some gruesome incidents such as when the spiders attack the underlander and their gruesome feeding incidents. The rats are the villains, and yet one of their own helps the underlanders and Gregor on their quest.The story line moves quickly. There is a lot of interesting incidents thoughout the story. This book is a good read for kids ages 9-12.

Reviews
School Library Journal:
Gr 4-8 –In this accessible, almost-cinematic fantasy, Gregor and his two-year-old sister fall into an amazing underground world. Taken in by people who have lived beneath the earth for centuries, the 11-year-old learns about the giant-sized talking creatures that also reside there, including bats, cockroaches, and vicious rats. Gregor just wants to get home, but a prophecy hints that he may be the "overlander" destined to save the humans from the warlike rodents. He is reluctant until he learns that his father, who disappeared from their New York City home a few years before, is a prisoner of the rats. Gregor is not an eager hero, but with common sense, quick thinking, and determination he grows into the role. His sister, who provides some comic relief, also plays a key part because of her ability to befriend creatures, especially the giant cockroaches. Plot threads unwind smoothly, and the pace of the book is just right. Exciting scenes and cliff-hanger chapters are balanced by decisions and interactions that drive the action. Gregor is not the most compelling figure at first, but as the story progresses he becomes more interesting, maturing through the challenges he faces. Supporting characters are generally engaging, particularly the enigmatic warrior rat that claims to support the protagonist's mission. This is an engrossing adventure for fantasy fans and for those new to the genre.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR --Steven Engelfried (Reviewed November 1, 2003) (School Library Journal, vol 49, issue 11, p134)

Use in a Library Setting
Have the children choose two animal characters from the underland. Ask them to research their real life characteristics and list any differences or similarities. They can look at lifespan, feeding habits, habitat etc. and can use a chart to record the information and present this to the class.

References:

Popular posts from this blog

Redeeming Love: A Novel by Francine Rivers

Summary: Angel is the illegitimate child of a single mother. Her father is married and wants nothing to do with her. Angel’s mother has been rejected by her own parents for bearing a child out of wedlock. The society they live in ignores them. Angel is sold into prostitution as a young girl. She has known nothing but rejection throughout her life. Michael Hosea is a godly man sent into her life to rescue her and show her the redeeming and transforming power of God’s unconditional love. Francine takes us on an emotional journey of Angel’s rebirth. We witness Angel’s stubborn acceptance of present circumstances, Hosea’s persistent pursuit in the face of her rejection, Angel’s brokenness and healing as she finally accepts Hosea’s love. This is an inspirational story about God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.
Read more

Miss Smith and The Haunted Library

Bibliography Garland, M. (2009). Miss Smith and The Haunted Library . New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 978-0-525-42139-9 Story Summary: Zack’s teacher, Miss Smith, takes the class on visit to the library. The fall morning which had seemed “dreary” takes an exciting turn when the students meet the spooky librarian, Virginia Creeper. The librarian reads from Miss Smith’s “ Incredible Story Book ”. The characters from the story literally leap out of the book as she reads and soon the library is filled with scary creatures and all the children cringe in fear, yet Virginia Creeper relentlessly reads on  unperturbed. The librarian then stops reading. She sets out apple cider and cookies and everyone, the children and the story book characters, all have a cookie and cider party together. Then suddenly Virginia Creeper remembers it is time for the senior citizens book club. She must clean up quickly.The senior cit...
Read more

PROM

Bibliography: Anderson, L.(2005).Prom. New York: Penguin Group. Book Summary Eighteen year old Ash’s goal at this point is to graduate high school. She is going through a stressful period and is determined to overcome all the obstacles standing in her way. She has detentions and unpaid library fines on her record that prevent her from participating in senior activities. She is not interested in going to the prom and is determined to avoid it at all costs. But when all the prom money is stolen by the math teacher, Ash is somehow sucked into helping her friend Nat rescue the prom. Through hard work, ingenuity, careful planning and determination, Ash salvages the prom. My Impression Ashley is a typical teen girl going through issues that are not uncommon to girls her own age. She is struggling to finish high school and cannot see beyond this to college. Her main goal is to graduate high school and move out of her parent’s home. She comes from a dysfunctional family and is...
Read more