I am revisiting the first in the The Underland Chronicles
It's good. It's beyond good.
I think one of the keys to writing funny adventure is dialogue, and Suzanne Collins has such a gift for it. She develops speech patterns for each of her underground races and for two-year-old Boots, and leaves Gregor all the cute sarcastic lines every kid wishes he had the wit to say.
Further, Gregor assumes all the worry and responsibility of an older brother, but without getting mired in it. He's a man of action, trusting his instincts and abilities and dogged in his persistence - all good traits, but ones that he will learn should be tempered with planning and advance knowledge. It's a good journey to undertake, and proceeds so organically.
We paused the audio after the first disc (after Gregor has met the human Underlanders and has resolved to get back to the surface before his mom gets too wigged out by their absence) for me to ask the kids if they had any predictions about the plot.
They did not think Gregor and Boots were going to get back in a timely fashion. Check.
They anticipate that Gregor and Boots will meet with peril on their journey. Check.
They wanted me to put the story back on NOW. Ok, ok!
I think my library should re-order new shiny copies of these books, and I think it's time to give 'em a new push to our young friends hungry for adventure.
How old are your kids? Mine are 9 & 11, and I've read Gregor with each of them. The only other things I've read 3X like this are the HP books.
Posted by: elissa | Friday, February 26, 2010 at 11:56 AM
I agree entirely! I just listened to them towards the end of 2009 and thought they were fantastic. I think that the reader also did wonders with Suzanne's fabulous dialogue.
Posted by: Kristi(e) | Friday, February 26, 2010 at 06:30 PM
This guy is not always my favorite reader - I prefer the English gents - but his Temp is PERFECT. "Be she princess be she?"
:paula
Posted by: ynl | Monday, March 01, 2010 at 12:49 PM