Plot Summary
Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, one of twelve vanquished districts that lost in a war to the the Capitol. Here, in the ashes of the former United States, the Capitol keeps order over the conquered people through a yearly event called the Hunger Games. In the Games two young people from each of the districts are selected to represent their community in a televised game in which the contestants fight to the death. Katniss bravely steps in to take her younger sister Prim’s place when she is selected. Living close to the edge of death in her regular life leaves her well equipped for the Games. A talented hunter, she has been the primary provider of food for her family since her father died in the mines years ago. Once she enters the Hunger Games, she comes to know some of the other contestants and comes to rely on some for support--but “winning” will mean killing them. Triumphing in the Hunger Games will demand the sacrifice of love and friendship. Katniss has the physical prowess and cunning to excel, but will her heart survive these trials?
Critical Evaluation
This is a YA novel that can be read on many different levels--it can be plenty just to get through the the plot with its many twists and turns, but it can also be read for tough philosophical questions about the nature of relationships between a powerful and lavish society and its dependent, oppressed colonies. Collins manages to portray various elements of contemporary society in this young adult novel--she holds up a mirror to our thirst for violence and desire to showcase (and watch) the “real” horrors of life on reality television. Collins has innocents kill each other to satisfy a powerful society’s need for control and “entertainment” and in doing so forces her readers to ask hard questions. Is it possible for these innocents, pawns in a much larger game, to retain any shred of humanity in the Hunger Games? Why aren’t the districts in an active state of rebellion? Can Katniss retain her love for her family and best friend now that she is a trained killer? These and many other questions await readers of The Hunger Games series.
Reader’s Annotation
In a gladiator style arena, the Hunger Games are being televised throughout the Capitol and twelve vanquished districts. Teen contestants must fight each other to the death-- how will Katniss survive?
Information about the Author
On the author’s website, we learn that, “Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has 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 critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.
While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try. Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part fantasy/war series, The Underland Chronicles.
At present, Suzanne is hard at work on the third book in her sci-fi series, The Hunger Games. She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.”
Genre
Science Fiction
Curriculum Ties
Revolution/ Colonialism
Booktalking Ideas
Read the passage that describes the Hunger Games and the moment that Prim (Katniss’ sister’s name) is picked.
Reading Level/ Interest Age
Grades 7+
Challenge Issues
The novel could be challenged due to its graphic representations of violence. If the book were challenged, I would turn to ALA's Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials.
Why Included?
The Hunger Games is the “it” YA series right now, and any serious conversation about Young Adult literature today starts with these books.
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