What happens when an 11-year-old from New York City falls through a grate into the world below?

That question prompted Suzanne Collins to write Gregor the Overlander, the story of a boy who accidently falls through into the Underworld along with his two-year-old sister Boots (also known as Margaret). Gregor hasn’t had an easy life—his dad disappeared two years, seven months, and thirteen days before; he’s home babysitting Boots instead of heading to camp; and he soon finds himself in a place where smelling wrong can mean serious trouble.

Most readers might recognize Suzanne Collins as the author of Hunger Games. Whether or not you like that series, do not confuse it with this book. Collins explores a few similar ideas, such as protecting family and a struggle to return home, but older teens and anyone who expects intense action or romance themes may be disappointed by Gregor the Overlander. Here, Collins writes for a much younger audience. Gregor is 11, and I would recommend the book for readers 10-years-old and up, with a warning that it includes some violent/scary incidents.

And don’t discount the excitement. Collins creates a dark, mysterious world below, where all the creatures we know and fear have grown to terrifying size. Gregor has to face them all if he wants to get his sister back home again—if he wants to survive.

Gregor the Overlander may not be Alice in Wonderland, but it is a good, old-fashioned children’s book, like Cricket in Times Square or The Rescuers or Encyclopedia Brown or even The Hobbit. It has flavors reminiscent of many favorites, mixed with its own original taste. I’ll be saving it to read for my own kids someday.