Gregor the Overlander

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

Gregor and his baby sister, Boots, fall to a new world through a hole in the wall of their apartment building’s laundry room. When they arrive they are greeted by giant cockroaches, who escort them to the kingdom of the human-type inhabitants of their world. While he is there Gregor manages to battle larger-than-life rats, and have other huge adventures. This is the first book in a series of five.

Evaluative Criteria:

Theme: A theme expressed in Gregor the Overlander is that love is more than power. When Gregor is informed that he is the warrior that is mentioned in the prophecy predicted by the founder of the Underland he decides to go along with it so he can find his father. He has no desire for power, he only longs to find his father who has been missing for over two years.

Plot: The plot of Gregor the Overlander starts in reality before gradually moving into fantasy. Gregor has to spend his summer taking care of his two year-old sister Boots instead of going to summer camp. While doing the laundry, Boots and Gregor get sucked into a dark shaft which leads to the Underland. The story has many aspects of the Journey of the Hero, where the hero is someone young and inexperienced, must go on a quest, has a mentor, and is put through different tests.

Lesson Ideas:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/gregor-overlander-storia-teaching-guide