By Suzanne Collins

It looks like it’s going to be a boring summer. With money being tight and his grandmother declining, Gregor has to stay home instead of going to the summer camp all the kids go to. Instead of hanging out with the other kids, he’ll be hanging out with his baby sister, Boots, and missing his dad.

At least, that’s the plan until Boots falls down the vent and Gregor (like any good big brother would) jumps in after her.

They don’t end up in the furnace.

Instead, they find themselves in an underground kingdom filled with strange creatures like rats, bats, and cockroaches. Though they may not sound strange to you at first, all of them are large enough to ride on.

And some of them are very interested in Boots.

At least they’re not alone in the Underland; a strange race of humans has lived here for hundreds of years. They may not seem trustworthy, and they may put a lot of stock in some ridiculous prophecies, but they’re Gregor’s only hope of returning home. And when they reveal that they might have information about Gregor’s dad, well, he may have a reason to look closer at their prophecies.

If you like funny characters, interesting creatures, and strange worlds, you will like this book. I loved the entire series and had so much fun reading it. And if you like the first book, just wait…they get better and better. Moreover, if you’re looking forward to reading The Hunger Games when you get older, this will give you a taste of Suzanne Collins’s writing.

General Stats:

• Genre: Fantasy
• Book 1 of 5
• Age: 7th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★☆