Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister Boots were trying their best to beat the summer heat in their New York City apartment. The days seemed to be repeating over and over again, with barely anything to do. Boots has a habit of dismantling various items, and today she decided to dismantle the dryer. Gregor rushed towards her to stop her, but as he got there he saw a metal grate to a large, two-by-two foot air duct opening. Boots, being just two-years-old and full of curiosity, leaned forward and fell into the air duct. Without thinking, Gregor lunged in behind her, falling lower and lower into the Earth with seemingly no end to the fall. When they finally landed with no injuries, they were met with a four-foot tall talking cockroach, who brought them to the land of Regalia; a land with other humans just like Gregor and talking creatures way larger than what he was used to in New York City. All Gregor wanted to do was get back home with Boots before his mother came back from work. However, when he discovers a cryptic prophecy in order to save the Underland with him having the main role, as well as the promise of finding his dad who mysteriously disappeared two years ago, he begins his quest. Little did he know, his life, as well as the lives of everyone in the Underland, was about to drastically change.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins is book one in The Underland Chronicles, filled with suspense and action-packed. This book is perfect for fantasy lovers of all ages, with a wide range of characters, engaging plot, and plot twists no one would see coming. I would definitely rate this book a 10/10; a page-turner that cannot be put down. 

Written by Aishi, Teen Volunteer

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan is the first book in the series Percy

Jackson and the Olympians. The main character Percy is a troubled student who struggles to fit into society. Percy continues to live this way until he is suddenly attacked by a strange creature. At that point, he is brought to a camp, named Camp Halfblood, where he begins to live with a group of kids, each with one mortal and one immortal parent. Percy soon discovers that his father is one of the three most powerful gods: Posideon. During the rest of the novel, Percy and two of his friends, Annabeth and Grover, embark on a long journey to stop a war with the Gods, knowing that if they fail, the human race could be destroyed. This plot continues throughout the five books in the Percy Jackson series.

The main external conflict of the book is that peace needs to be created between

the gods. The inner conflict of the book is the doubt that Percy lays upon himself. This

doubt causes Percy to question his abilities and worry his father, and it begins to affect

his performance. Throughout the book, no matter what challenge Percy faced, he found a way to move forward with bravery. Percy and his friends all displayed heroic actions during their journey. This book taught me to have courage. Percy and his friends managed to stay strong and be brave despite their terrifying experiences. This encouraged me to see that my worries did not compare to their own, and therefore made my fears seem less rational. This book can also  teach students more about Greek mythology all while pulling the reader in for an action-filled adventure.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer