The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

ISBN: 9780439023528

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Copyright: 2008

Genre: Action/Adventure/Science Fiction

Age Range: 14 - 18

Reader’s Annotation: Katniss Everdeen volunteers to go into a single survivor battle royal in place of her sister.

Plot Summary: Katniss Everdeen lives in the country of Panem. After an apocalyptic event, North America was restructured into twelve different Districts that serve to provide goods and services to a wealthy Capitol. Katniss specifically lives in the coal rich District 12 formerly known as Appalachia. There were thirteen discticts, but the thirteenth one was wiped out during a rebellion against the capitol. Because of that rebellion, there is an annual lottery that selects a boy and girl from every district, except the capitol, as a tribute to the Hunger Games. It is a fight to the death where only one person can leave the arena under capitol gamemaster control. On the day of the lottery, Primrose Everdeen, Katniss’ younger sister, is selected. She volunteers in her place. Peeta Mellark, a former schoolmate of Katniss and the baker’s boy, is also selected. When Katniss’ father died in the coal mines, Peeta purposely burnt some bread and gave it to Katniss because her family was starving. She never forgot.

            Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol with their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy. He is the only District 12 victor. He instructs them to watch and determine the strengths and weaknesses of the other tributes. The tributes get a makeover and put on display for all of the capitol including a TV appearance with Caesar Flickerman. Her stylist team lead by Cinna get her ready for the media parade. The press is an important part of getting sponsors that will give gifts during the games. Peeta confesses his love for Katniss on TV and begins the rumors of romance. Each tribute is evaluated for their strengths and is ranked. Because Katniss shoots an arrow into the judge’s box, she is ranked number one.

            On the first day of the games, nearly half of the tributes die or are killed. Katniss relies on her hunting and survival skills from home to stay alive. A few days in, she makes an alliance with Rue for District 11. Peeta is running around with the tributes from the richer districts. When they come across Katniss, Peeta saves her while taking injury. In a plot to get the richer district tributes, Katniss and Rue plan to draw them out. Instead, a different tribute kills Rue. Katniss kills him in self defense. Katniss sings to Rue until she dies and spreads flowers over her body. On the outside of the games, the "star-crossed lovers” plot line runs thick causing a change in the rules. Two tributes from the same district can win the Hunger Games as a couple. Katniss begins searching for Peeta fining him camouflaged and wounded. As she nurses him back to health, she plays the part of the girl falling in love to get more help from the home viewer. When Peeta is healthy enough, they make their way to the starting point. They defeat the remaining tributes and some genetically engineered wild dogs that have the eyes of each of the dead tributes. They are the only two survivors. At the last second, the rule new is reversed. Will they kill each other to be the last survivor?

Critical Evaluation: The Hunger Games is a book that has a high amount of acceptance. From popular young adult authors like John Green, Stephanie Meyer, and Rick Riorden all give it a great review. It also won many awards in 2008 including: Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of the Year," The New York Times "Notable Children's Book of 2008," one of School Library Journal's "Best Books 2008,"and "Booklist Editors' Choice." I n 2011, the book won the California Young Reader Medal. In the 2012 edition of Scholastic's Parent and Child magazine, The Hunger Games was listed as the 33rd-best book for children, with the award for "Most Exciting Ending." It also ranked in fifth place on the American Library Association's list of frequently challenged books for 2010. The book has been caught up in the controversy of being similar to Koushun Takami’s Battle Royale. Critics have decided to agree to disagree and have come to the consensus that the subject matter may be the same, but the cultural connections are different.

Author Information: Born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1962, Suzanne Collins was the daughter of an Air Force pilot, and her family moved several times when she was young. After proving herself as a talented children's television writer, Collins published her debut book, Gregor the Overlander, the first book of The Underland Chronicles. In 2008, the first book of The Hunger Games series was published. Source - http://www.biography.com/people/suzanne-collins-20903551#synopsis&awesm=~oDHduEiR32maJY

Curriculum Ties: Social Studies, Political Science

Challenge Issues: Anti-Government; Violence

Booktalk Ideas: Divided – Divide the class into different quadrants. Talk about the each quadrant. Pick out one person from each quadrant and make them stand away from their groups and explain that they will fight to the death. Have them sit down and let that be the lead into the book.