The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins
From Miss Jennie at Ontario
So everybody 6th grade and older is either reading or has read The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins. But did you know that before The Hunger Games, there were The Underland Chronicles? This five-book series came out several years ago and revolves around a young boy named Gregor. This is one of my favorite book series of all times, and is always one of my go-to series for kids 4th grade and older, especially boys!
Gregor is a very quiet 11-year-old boy who lives in an apartment in New York City with his grandma, mom and baby sister, Boots. While doing laundry in the basement of his apartment building, Boots happens to fall through an air vent behind the dryer and Gregor, following his little sister, ends up in the Underland. The Underland is a world under the earth with 6 foot tall talking rats, cockroaches bigger than cows, huge spiders, bats big enough to ride, and a whole race of humans.
Gregor just wants to go home, but discovers that his arrival in the Underland is foretold in a prophecy about an Overlander who will be sent to save them from the rodents that are invading their city; the same rodents that kidnapped his father three years ago. With a new determination to save his father, Gregor embarks on an adventure like no other!
Each of the books describes Gregor’s quest to fulfill the prophecy and save the Underland. Full of action, adventure, suspense and unexpected friendships, The Underland Chronicles will leave you cheering out loud and begging for more!
If that doesn’t get you excited, watch this cool book trailer for the first book in the series, Gregor the Overlander!
Here are the books in order (all are available from the library as print books or audiobooks):
- Gregor the Overlander
- Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
- Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
- Gregor and the Marks of Secret
- Gregor and the Code of Claw
Other Web Resources:
- Be sure to visit Scholastic’s author study page on Suzanne Collins, with links to booktalks and discussion guides.
- Here are three good reasons you should read this outstanding series.
- Look no further than this tumblr page dedicated to The Underland Chronicles!
- How well do you know The Underland Chronicles? Take this ridiculously difficult quiz to find out!
- Get to know Suzanne Collins better in this New York Times magazine article.
