Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

From the book jacket:

"When eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their NEw York apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland beneath the city. There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, bats, cockroaches, and rats - but the fragile peace is about to fall apart.

Gregor wants no part of a conflict between these creepy creatures. He just wants to find his way home. But when he discovers that a strange prophecy foretells a role for him in the Underland's uncertain future, he realizes it might be the only way to solve the biggest mystery of his life. Little does he know his quest will change him and the Underland forever."

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To be honest, I picked up this book purely because of my love of Hunger Games. I've heard wonderful things about this series for a long time and decided to finally give it a go. I really wasn't disappointed. It was written a bit for the younger kids - early teen years, so it's not nearly as intense as Hunger Games (I'm going to stop with the comparisons there). I enjoyed the setting and the possibilities of what's living deep beneath NYC. There was plenty of humor and action to keep the story from being too heavy.

I really think all kids should read this in their transition into the more meaty YA lit (even if it is fantasy/sci fi). I will look forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series! Other blog reviews are here, here, and here.