The Hunger Games

Booktalk
What exactly are The Hunger Games? Why does the entire country of Panem sit and watch in rapt, terrified attention ever year as these games are broadcast to their towns?

You’d watch carefully, too, if it were your children being forced to fight each other to the death.

In retribution for a failed revolution, the corrupt Panem government takes two children, one boy and one girl, from each of the twelve districts and forces them to participate in these Hunger Games – trapped in an arena, only allowed to leave when all other participants are dead. Twenty-four enter. Only one leaves.

Katniss Everdeen’s sister has been chosen for the games. In a moment of protective desperation, Katniss offers to take her place. She and the boy Peeta, an old acquaintance with a secret that could save their lives, are whisked away to the Capitol, treated like celebrities, pampered, and trained in preparation to slaughter each other. If it means returning home to the family she loves, will Katniss be able to bring herself to kill another? Find out in The Hunger Games.

If You Like This Book, Try These Ones Next

 * Unwind by Neil Shusterman
 * Divergent by Veronica Roth
 * Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Check Out the Movie
The movie adaptation of The Hunger Games was released in March 2012.

Teen Voices
"The Hunger Games is definitely my favorite of that trilogy. It's super well-written, and it was kind of addicting. I couldn't put it down after I started it." - Chris, age 16

A Little More Information
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print.

ISBN-13: 9780439023528

Paperback price: $6.21

Annotation: In retribution for a failed revolution, a dystopian future North America requires each of its territories to select two children to fight to the death in a televised event each year.