The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.

Scholastic; 2008,

ISBN: 0439023521.

Reader’s Annotation

Katniss voluntarily takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games—a violent fight to the death imposed by the Capitol of Panem for the entertainment of the viewing public, on the children from the outlying districts, as a punishment for past rebellion and to discourage future uprisings.

Plot Summary

Katniss Everdeen is a survivor, and in her country of Panem (in what used to be the United States), she also works tirelessly to help her family (her mother and sister Prim) survive.  Katniss enjoys her illegal hunting time because she can get out into the wild and also spend time with Gale, her handsome, close friend.  Panem consists of twelve outlaying districts (and a rumored thirteenth), surrounding the all-controlling Capitol.  Because the Districts once rebelled against the Capitol, the government now forces the Districts to participate in gladiator-style Hunger Games—each district must select by lottery one boy and one girl.  When 12-year-old Prim’s name is chosen, Katniss doesn’t hesitate to take her place in the Hunger Games.  What follows is Katniss’ journey with fellow District 12 contestant Peeta, the baker’s son, to the Games which are nationally televised for the Capitol’s amusement, and the Districts’ punishment.  Throughout the Games, Katniss must make choices—who to trust for now, who to kill, and how to survive until the end.

Critical Evaluation

Once the names are drawn, the plot takes off, and you can’t put the book down.  Collins has created a dystopian society where the children are made to bear the punishment for previous generations.  The psychological agony of being forced to watch children fight for their lives, being presented as a form of entertainment is unimaginable. Katniss is at first bewildered as the events surrounding the Hunger Games, but with their advisor Haymitch, a drunken, cynical older man, Katniss and Peeta begin to talk strategy.  Katniss doesn’t want to work with Peeta—she doesn’t want to know him or care about him because she knows that ultimately she will have to kill him or be killed by him.  Her resolution falters though, when Peeta admits in a pre-game, televised interview that he loves Katniss.  As the games progress, Katniss and Peeta are drawn together, and eventually find a way to rebel.

About the Author

As a successful writer for several children’s television shows including Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Suzanne Collins has established a range of writing experience.  It was with her writing of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, however, that Collins really made her mark in children’s literature.  In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins explores the effects of war and violence on young people. Collins lives with her family in Connecticut. For more information, go to: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/index.htm

Genre

Science fiction

Fantasy

Action

Horror

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

1. Peeta or Gale?
2. Describe Katniss’ relationship with Haymitch.
3. Are there any parallels to the Hunger Games in our society? Have there ever been?

Reading level/Interest age

Young Adult (grades 9-Adult)

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

Violence

• Present the library’s selection policy
• Be familiar with similar works in the collection

Why I included this work

Collins wons innumerable awards and honors for The Hunger Games including:

• An American Library Association Top Ten Best Books For Young Adults Selection
• 2008 CYBIL AWARD--Fantasy & Science Fiction

Great Quote from the Book:

Katniss Everdeen: “It’s not a fair comparison really. Gale and I were thrown together by a mutual need to survive. Peeta and I know the other’s survival means our own death.”