Gregor the Overlander

by Suzanne Collins

Gregor the Overlander

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Book Information

Gregor the Overlander is a captivating novel by Suzanne Collins, the author of the best-selling Hunger Games trilogy. It is the first book in the Underland Chronicles, a five-part fantasy series for middle-grade readers.

The story follows Gregor, an 11-year-old boy who lives in New York City. One day, while doing laundry in the basement of his apartment building, Gregor falls through a grate and lands in a mysterious underground world called the Underland. There, he meets a host of strange and fascinating creatures, such as giant bats, rats, cockroaches, spiders, and a colony of humans who have lived there for centuries.

Gregor soon learns that his father, who disappeared two years ago, is also in the Underland, held captive by the evil rats. He also discovers that he is the warrior mentioned in an ancient prophecy that foretells a war between humans and rats. Gregor must embark on a dangerous quest to rescue his father and fulfill his destiny while trying to find a way back home.

Publication Date: September 1, 2003


Reading Level: Lexile Measure 690L, Scholastic Guided Reading Level V (GE 4.9)


Interest Level: Grades 4-7


Major Awards: ALA Notable Children's Recordings


Number of Pages: 336 pages


Approximate Word Count: 102,480 words -- The average reader will spend 6 hours and 49 minutes reading Gregor the Overlander at 250 words per minute.


Audible Book Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins


Book Themes: Right and Wrong, Horrors of War, Family


Genre: Quest, Epic Fantasy, First Book in a Series


Setting: the Underland (a Underground land miles under New York City) in modern times


Important Quote: If you are not trying to hold on to time, you are not so afraid of losing it.

Courage only counts when you can count.


First Line: Gregor had pressed his forehead against the screen for so long, he could feel a pattern of tiny checks above his eyebrows.


Point of View: 3rd person limited to Gregor's perspective

Links to Resources and Teaching Ideas

Gregor the Overlander

This novel study contains a comprehensive book unit for Gregor the Overlander with activities, comprehension, vocabulary, and writing resources.

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Gregor the Overlander

This blog post by Book Units Teacher provides some teaching ideas and activities for the book, such as comparing it to other books with underground settings and mapping the Underland.

Gregor the Overlander Blog Post