The Underland Chronicles

Books (5):
Gregor the Overlander
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
Gregor and the Marks of Secret
Gregor and the Code of Claw
Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Target Age: 12 and up
Other books by Collins: The Hunger Games (2008)
Synopsis:
Gregor the Overlander: Gregor's baby sister falls through a heating vent into the mysterious (and dangerous!) world hidden far beneath New York City. There he meets a civilization of people who have been living underground for hundreds of years and believe him to be the prophesied warrior sent to stop the evil king of the rats. In the subsequent novels, Gregor travels back and forth from his world to the Underland to help its inhabitants resolve a series of escalating conflicts.

My Thoughts:

Besides being a great story teller, Collins is a strong moral voice without being preachy. What I particularly enjoyed about the Underland Chronicles was the complexity of good and evil that Collins explores; the 'good guys' aren't always blameless and the 'bad guys' aren't pure evil (although some characters come pretty close). Collins even creates a disturbing, yet powerful allegory for the Holocaust in her final book that is provocative and stirring. This was the type of series that as soon as I finished one book I couldn't wait to start the next one.

My Recommendation:
Great for teens, especially fans of Harry Potter, Eragon, or The Lightning Thief. I would even recommend parents/teachers reading it with younger (no younger than 4th grade) students so they can skip some of the violent parts.