Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.
BookBrowse Review by Amy Reading
If you are reading this review, chances are that you're wondering if the Hunger Games trilogy lives up to the hype. Yes. A thousand times yes. All you need to do is read the first few pages of The Hunger Games to verify this. You'll be pulled in and under. You'll set aside anything else you've been reading. You'll shirk your duties at work. You'll start reading under the table at dinnertime. I quickly learned that the only way I could make myself close the covers would be to break off in the middle of a chapter. If I waited until the end, the unbelievable cliffhanger with which Collins closes every single chapter would catch me and pull me back into the book. The only way to read these books is compulsively. Full Review
Others Say
"Starred Review. Because this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, and what is left unanswered is the central question. Has she sacrificed too much? We know what she has given up to survive, but not whether the price was too high. Readers will wait eagerly to learn more." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance. Grades 9-12." - Booklist
"This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator'. Grade 7+" - School Library Journal
"This gripping tale explores ever-timely topics - violence-as-entertainment and rule-by-intimidation - and through Katniss holds out the possibility of change." - The Washington Post
"[T]he considerable strength of the novel comes in Collins's convincingly detailed world-building and her memorably complex and fascinating heroine. In fact, by not calling attention to itself, the text disappears in the way a good font does: nothing stands between Katniss and the reader, between Panem and America. This makes for an exhilarating narrative and a future we can fear and believe in, but it also allows us to see the similarities between Katniss's world and ours." - The New York Times
"The suspense of this powerful novel will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime." - VOYA
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
In 1991, Suzanne Collins began her professional career writing for children's television. She worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! with her friend, Peter Bakalian, which was nominated for a WGA Award in Animation. Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment's Clifford's Puppy Days,and a freelancer on Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children's author and illustrator James Proimos, who talked her into giving children's books a try.
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