The Hunger Games

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. ISBN-10: 0439023483, ISBN-13: 9780439023481. Scholastic Press. 2008.

Summary
In another time, the United States as we now know it has become Panem. It's divided into twelve districts with one Capitol, and Katniss lives with her mother and sister in the poorest part of the poorest district. Since her father died, she has been providing for and protecting her family. And she continues to shelter her sister when Primrose's name is called to be a gladiator-type "tribute" in the Capitol's annual Hunger Games. The games are a brutal, bloodthirsty battle to the death that are televised across Panem. As Katniss steps into the games for her sister and her district, she knows that she is facing death armed with little more than her strong street smarts.

Critical Evaluation
Suzanne Collins has created a terrifying look into the future of the United States. Twelve districts ruled by one harsh and cruel Capitol. It's the same Capitol that institutes the Hunger Games—a gladiator-esque battle, where there can only be one winner. Each of the twelve districts sends a boy and a girl (known as Tributes) to the Games, and the point is that the one winner outlives their 23 competitors. Katniss has volunteered to be a tribute in efforts to spare her little sister from a certain death. Katniss has been providing for her family with her illegal hunting and bartering on the black market for years, and she takes those skills with her to the Games. The one thing that she didn't think about was her companion Tribute—Peeta. They have history, and the authorities in the Games have made that distant friendship into a romance. Do her past feelings of indebtedness to Peeta blur her goal, or does the sensationalism help her to admit true feelings? Collins gives us a complex character set in a complicated situation. Readers who enjoy science fiction will love this series, and the readability will draw in reluctant sci-fi readers. Katniss is a wonderfully strong character, but so is Peeta. They each bring something different to the Games and to their relationship—and that question of romance will attract readers too.

Reader's Annotation
The Hunger Games is more than a story of kids killing each other. Suzanne Collins brings us to a chilling future society that pits teens against each other in a battle to the death, as well as telling us an adventurous tale of friendship, romance and survival.

About the Author
Suzanne Collins has been writing for children for the past two decades, although mostly for children's television programs. She worked with Nickelodeon on projects such as Clarissa Explains it All, Oswald and Little Bear, and Scholastic Entertainment for Clifford's Puppy Days. She was approached by another children's author who persuaded her to try her hand at writing children's books. Gregor the Overlander was published in 2003 and kicked off The Underland Chronicles series, which includes three other following books. Then in 2008, Collins released The Hunger Games and began that trilogy which contains Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

Genre
Science Fiction
Girls/Women

Curriculum Ties
Government/History: the effects of war, violence, and poverty on societies

Booktalking Ideas
Would you put yourself in the danger of possible death to protect your sibling from certain death…
Do you think you could kill another person to save your own life…

Awards
Publisher's Weekly's Best Book of the Year (2008)
Golden Duck Award in Young Adult Fiction(2009)
Cybil Wonner for fantasy and science fiction (2008)

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 15+

Why I included this title...
Thankfully this was required reading. I said repeatedly: why would I want to read a book about kids killing each other!? Now I know why…