Underworlds: The Battle Begins

Abbott, Tony. Underworlds: The Battle Begins. Scholastic, 2011. 108 pages. $4.99. ISBN 9780545308311.

Summary:

It’s a big day for Owen, who will perform in a benefit concert at school, and he’s running late. That’s the least of his problems when his best friend, Dana, delivers a cryptic message and then appears to be swallowed up into the bowels of the earth. Owen, Sydney, and Jon think quickly and follow the lead that Dana offered them: “Find the book! In my house.” Unusual events continue to occur, and Owen and friends are right at the center of a battle against evil, of mythological proportions!

Curriculum Connections:

Characters from Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythology and pantheons are touched on in this new, fast-paced series. It is also an example of the Fantasy and Adventure genres: full of action, plot-driven, and high energy.

Personal Reflections:

The Percy Jackson series has been immensely popular with students, but younger and/or less mature readers have been thwarted by that series’ length and complexity. This series is a perfect fit for those readers, offering many of the same appeal factors, such as pace and tone.

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

7-10

Genre/Themes:

Mythology, Fantasy, Adventure

Read-Alikes:

Riordan’s Percy Jackson series has inspired a lot of interest in mythology in young readers. Jon Scieszka’s It’s All Greek To Me (part of the Time Warp Trio series) is a book with similar appeal factors and reading level.