Gregor the Overlander

Sam Romano

Module 2 Week 4

Discussion 1B: Gregor the Overlander

Reader Response: Did this book evoke strong emotion in you and what surprised you? What did you love or hate about it? What does the book say about the society it depicts (e.g., what values or societal norms or expectations come across)? If you could have a conversation with the author, what would you ask? How could you hook a child to read this book?

 I’m a big fan of books that use the ‘protagonist entering into another world’ trope, so reading about Gregor’s fall into Regalia was really entertaining. I really loved the first initial description of the city as well:

“They stood on the edge of a valley filled with the most beautiful buildings he’d ever seen. New York was known for its architecture, the elegant brownstones, the towering skyscrapers, the grand museums. But compared with Regalia, it looked unplanned, like a place where someone had lined up a bunch of oddly shaped boxes in a row.” (Collins, 45).

Reading this evoked a huge sense of scope and epicness for me, so I could only imagine reading this as an adolescent and feeling a sense of awe and wonder. It reminded me a little bit of the fantasy worlds that are so commonly explored in other series (Hogwarts in Harry Potter, Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings), and I think the sense of newness and exploration would be a good way to hook in new readers.

            What also stuck out to me was the dichotomy between Gregor as a child and the warrior he’s expected to be. He notes that he “didn’t in any way resemble any warrior” and that Gregor “was not into fighting” (Collins, 111). It seems there’s some commentary regarding how children are expected to grow up and toughen up, but viewed through the eyes of a child who fell into an unexpected prophecy. Given her ability to take on Gregor’s perspective, I think I would ask Collins how she was able to get into the mindset of a younger hero. As librarians entering the field, it’s important to understand what types of storylines and characteristics appeal to young readers, and finding out how one of the most successful YA authors channels her thoughts would be invaluable information

Collins, Suzanne. Gregor The Overlander. New York :Scholastic, 2003. Print.