Book 1: Fantasy
Gregor the Overlander by Collins
Bibliography:Collins, S. (2003). Gregor the overlander. New York: Scholastic Press.
Summary: Gregor is this 11 year old boy whose dad went missing over two years ago. His dad has been missing since he was seven but Gregor believes he’ll come back. No one knows where he went and so Gregor is left with a lot of responsibility around the house, namely watching his toddler sister Boots (Margret). When watching his sister Boots in the apartment’s laundry room the two get sucked into the air duct of the dryer. They fall for a long time deep underground where they are greeted by huge talking cockroaches. These crawlers end up taking them to the humans that live in the Underland. There they meet royalty and their talking bat companions at the human city of Regalia. While the humans greet them like guests Gregor feels like they are prisoners and makes an attempt to escape. The attempt does not go well and the Underlander humans end up saving him and Boots which begins the impression that Gregor is actually the warrior that the humans believe is a prophecy coming true. As they explain the details of the prophecy he realizes that his father is still alive trapped in this world by the rats. The prophecy state that the warrior will lead humans and creatures from the Underland on a quest that will allow the humans to survive a war that is coming from the rats.
My Impression:
Wow! This is a book I would recommend to boy readers. Really it's for anyone I really enjoyed this book and it's the first book I would hands down recommend to a boy probably 4th to 8th grade that was looking for a good science fiction book. I have to admit I favor books that may be considered "girly" because that's what I enjoy. Even the science fiction ones I chose had a girl protagonist with a little love interest going on the side. I only chose this book because I was curious to see what else Suzanne Collins could do besides the Hunger Games. Loved it, loved the talking cockroaches, bats, rats, spiders and humans all living in this Underland that thrives beneath our world. I have plans to continue reading the series with the next book Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane.
Reviews
"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.” – School Library Journal (Gr. 4 - 8)
Engelfried, S. (2003). Gregor the Overlander (Book). School Library Journal, 49(11), 134-138.
“In a cavernous world beneath New York City, humans who long ago emigrated from the "Overland" live side-by-side with super-intelligent bats and loyal giant cockroaches. In a charming tip of the literary hat, debut novelist Collins introduces her young heroes Gregor and his little sister Boots into a wonderland through a trip down a long hole--in this case, an opening in a wall of their apartment building's laundry room. While passionately trying to find a way back home, 11-year-old Gregor learns about the Underlanders, their history and their unusual customs. Before long, Vikus, the noble patriarch of the Underlanders, reveals to Gregor an ancient prophecy--and why he believes that the boy is the foretold "overland warrior," come to liberate them from the giant rats. The relationship between Gregor and two-year-old Boots embodies much of the book's charm, and Gregor himself grows up before readers' eyes. His love for his lost father factors heavily into his personality; in a stunning turn of events, he discovers the reason for the disappearance of his father--who also plays a role in the prophecy. Collins does a grand job of world-building, with a fine economy of words--no unnecessary details bog down either the setting or the invigorating story. In her world, a child singing "Patty-Cake" can change the course of history and a stoic rat can mourn the fact that although he is able to read, he cannot write because he has no thumb. Unlike Gregor who cannot wait to leave, readers will likely find it to be a fantastically engaging place.” – Publishers Weekly (Ages 8 - 12)
Roback, D. (2003). GREGOR THE OVERLANDER (Book). Publishers Weekly, 250(36), 77.
Use in Classroom Setting:
Before the students read the book Greg the Overalander they discuss how the settlers first came to American and how they had to adapt to survive and how people were persuaded to come to the new land. After, reading the book they discuss the people who started the Underland colony how they had to adapt to survive underground. Students then try to persuade others to come to the Underland. Students a can utilize present posters, writings, and charts when arguing their point.
Before reading the book students identify the components of science fiction works. After reading Greg the Overlander they analyze the book and discuss the possibility of some of its elements becoming reality with reasoning from science truths no matter how exaggerated. Then they present their theories to the class aloud.
Book 2: Science Fiction
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Bibliography:Aguirre, A. (2011). Enclave. New York: Feiwel and Friends.
Summary:
In this book people have taken to living underground because that place provides safety from the outside world. Life is still hard and brats are not given names until their naming ceremony when they turn fifteen, before that there’s no point until they know they will survive. After they are named they start contributing to their society as a hunter, a builder, or a breeder. Deuce has wanted to be a brave hunter and protect and feed her people since she was young now she is getting the chance. She is partnered with another hunter named Fade who is an outcast in their world because he came from the outside and has never really been accepted. Outside their settlement there is a constant fear of freaks, a scary mutant that hunts them as food. Slowly Deuce starts to see those that lead are corrupt, and her actions cause her to be exiled. Fade and her travel topside which has its own dangers but they travel north in hopes of finding a better way to live.
My Impression:
The book was a post apocalypse story of how society might disperse when the world is changed forever by biological weapons and manufactured plagues. You got know a lot about the people underground where Deuce grew up and a little view of the other societies still surviving. Although the story is extreme I do think it has some aspects that could be based on reality. Not one of my favorite dystopian novels because after the the characters go topside it isn't as engaging as when it detailed the goings on in the settlement underground. This is a series and the next book Outpost is suppose to let us know what happens to the group in their new settlement topside.
Reviews:
“Similar in some ways to Lois Lowry's The Giver (Houghton Mifflin, 1993), this book also begins with a naming ceremony. Unlike that peaceful, almost Utopian novel, this work focuses on the fight to survive in an underground enclave. Deuce, the female protagonist, is given the job of hunter and protector, and is paired with Fade, who has come from afar. It is only when she is paired with Fade that Deuce questions their way of life. Hunting for food outside the enclave and protecting the community from the Freaks that eat the humans, Deuce and Fade encounter many things that are forbidden, and she and Fade are exiled. Fade draws on his knowledge of life above ground. He brings Deuce to seek the land in the North. This book will appeal to readers of survival adventure. It is a good book for boys, yet there is also enough to entice a girl with forbidden romances. Set in an alternative universe after a second holocaust, this is nevertheless realistic fiction in an allegorical way.” – Library Media Connection (Gr. 6 - 9)
Marcus, S. (2011). Enclave. Library Media Connection, 30(1), 65.
“Aguirre’s young adult debut is a gripping survival story set in an apocalyptic future. At her naming ceremony, Deuce receives triple slashes on each arm, signifying her status as a Huntress, an elite warrior who protects their underground enclave. She is paired with Fade, a scarred, taciturn veteran who claims to have lived Topside and chafes under their exacting rules. When they find proof that the mutant Freaks who share the tunnels are banding together, they are exiled to silence their warnings. Forced Topside, the pair heads toward a settlement Fade has only heard stories about, picking up two others: Stalker, a violent gang leader, and Tegan, a brutally abused girl. This is a tense, action-packed dystopian story with intriguingly gray characters, much more thriller than romance—although Aguirre teases at a future love triangle, it never intrudes. While the enclave’s elders are initially presented as morally corrupt antagonists, Aguirre’s gritty future is not so simple; like Deuce, readers must weigh the comparative values of law and freedom in a functioning society."— Booklist (Gr. 8 - 11)
Hutley, K. (2011). Enclave. Booklist, 107(14), 54.
Students analyze the dishonest actions of the leaders of Deuce’s underground enclave. They are asked to include in their study leaders in history who has been accused or are guilty of political of deceitfulness. The class then shares opinions as to why these the persons act this way and what influence do these actions have over people they govern.
Students discuss the situation of the world in Enclave. They work together to determine how they might survive in this new world. Students also consider the different emotional responses that would come from such extreme conditions. In the end the students share their survival plan and explain the role that each member will play in their goal to endure.
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