The Hunger Games

The Hunger games follows poor Panem citizen Katniss Everdeen of Disctrict 12. Set in a post-apocalytpic United States, it is renamed Panem and is re-distributed into 12 districts, each with a different trade specialty. They live under a tyrannical rule, under the guise of a presidency. They are forced to pay heavy taxes, are policed heavily, and are generally miserable. Plus, every year, a boy and a girl from each district are taken into the Hunger Games, where they fight to the death, with only 1 victor emerging. What happens when Katniss's young sister, Prim, is chosen, and Katniss decides to take her place? Will she survive the Hunger Games, or die trying?

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Corporation, 2008

## Reviews

**Childrensbooks.about.com**

In *The Hunger Games* author Suzanne Collins has created a fascinating dystopian world. Reading *The Hunger Games* can lead to interesting discussions about our own world and how reality shows, threats of war, authoritarian governments and obsession with fashion trends influence us daily. Due to the darkness of the story, it is best suited for teens and adults rather than tweens.

### While the creation of Panem is not fully fleshed out until the second book, we know that this authoritarian society was the result of a horrible disaster during the Dark Days, resulting in the establishment of twelve districts under the rule of the government in the Capitol. Peacekeepers and a local government are instituted in each district, but the rulers in the Capitol have strict control over everything and everyone in each district.

Each district has its own specialty that benefits the Capitol, such as coal mining, agriculture, seafood, etc. Some districts provide the Capitol with energy or material goods and some provide the manpower to keep those in the Capitol in power. The people who live in the Capitol contribute little to their own sustenance and are concerned mainly with the latest fashions and amusements.

The Hunger Games are an annual tradition directed by the Capitol rulers, not only to amuse the citizens, but also to preserve control over the districts by demonstrating the Capitol's dominance.Each year, the twelve districts must send two representatives, a girl and a boy, to participate in the Hunger Games. These representatives are called “tributes” to make people believe that representing their district is an honor, even though each person lives in fear that someone they love will be chosen. And the entire nation must watch as these 24 tributes battle each other to the death until only one is left as the victor.

Having a victor is important to a district.

Extra food and a few luxuries will be granted to the victor's district. The government has created the ultimate reality show, complete with technological challenges and constant monitoring of the movements of the participants. And each citizen is required to watch the Games until their conclusion, which may take hours or days.

### Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen has been providing for her family since her father’s death in a mining accident. She has done this by illegally hunting beyond the boundaries of District 12 and using the game she kills for food or for barter.

Through her skill with a bow and her ability to track and snare rabbits and squirrels, her family has been able to survive.

They have also survived because Katniss signs up for the tessera, a ration of grain that is given in exchange for placing your name in the lottery for the reaping, the ceremony that determines who will be the district’s representative in the Games. Everyone’s name goes in the lottery from the time they reach the age of 12 until they turn 18. Each time Katniss exchanges her name for the tessera, her chances of being the one whose name is called increase. Only it isn’t her name that is called. It is her sister’s.

Prim Everdeen is the one person that Katniss loves above all others. She is only 12, quiet, loving and on her way to being a healer. She would not be able to survive the reaping and Katniss knows this. When Prim’s name is called, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place as a tribute from District 12 to the Hunger Games.

Katniss knows that it is not only her own life on the line in the games, but that others will benefit as well if she is the victor and her skills as a hunter will give her an edge in the Games. But her life as a tribute becomes more complicated by the other tribute from District 12. Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son, is a boy that Katniss owes a favor to because of a kindness that he showed her when she was most desperate and her family’s survival was at stake. And Katniss knows that now her survival will mean his death.

Katniss is whisked away from her family and Gale, her best friend and hunting partner, to the Capitol, where she is prepped and primped to participate in the Games. She and Peeta are to be mentored by Haymitch, the only tribute that District 12 has had who was a winner in the Games. But Haymitch is a reluctant and seemingly inadequate mentor, so Katniss realizes she must rely on her own strengths in order to survive.

As the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy, *The Hunger Games* is compelling reading and makes the reader want to read the next book immediately to find out what has happened to Katniss and Peeta. Katniss is a strong character who solves her own problems and takes charge of her own life. Her struggles with her divided affections between two boys are realistically portrayed but not overwrought. And her tendency to inadvertently create problems can spark many conversations about whether she was right or wrong and whether she stayed true to who she is. Katniss is someone that readers will not forget.

### *The Hunger Games* will appeal to teens, ages 13 and up. The 384-page book contains violence and strong emotions so younger tweens may find it disturbing. The writing is excellent and the plot propels the reader through the book at a rapid rate. This book has been chosen by Kansas State University to be given to all of the incoming freshmen to read so that they will all be able to discuss it throughout the campus and in their classes. It has also become assigned reading in many high schools. The book is rich in discussion points not only about governments, personal freedom, and sacrifice, but also about what it means to be yourself and not submit to society’s expectations. For information on challenges to the book, see The Hunger Games Trilogy. (Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780439023481)

http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/productreviews/fr/The-Hunger-Games-review.htm

**The Guardian**

In a place once known as North America, now known as Panem, is a very rich City surrounded by twelve Districts. Every year because this very rich City, known as The Capitol, is so rich and likes to think they control all the Districts - which they do - there is something known as The Hunger Games! This is where two children, one boy and one girl from each district from the ages of twelve to eighteen, have to leave their families and compete in The Hunger Games, a live event that is aired on TV's all over Panem. When Katniss Everdeen, aged sixteen from District 12, has to volunteer to take the place of her twelve-year-old sister Prim after Prim's name is called forth to become the 23rd member to compete in The 74th Hunger Games, she promises to Prim that she will win!

Katniss doesn't believe she's coming out alive - but she's not going down without a fight.

Because District 12 is so poor, Katniss has been close to death many times from starvation but she's made it through it. But this is a different kind of close to death; this Katniss doesn't know if she can survive.

She doesn't want to hurt, or kill anyone but when it comes down to it Katniss' instinct is to survive. But when she starts to have confusing feelings about the boy from her district who is also her fellow contender, things get worse, and then she teams up with the girl from District 11 and only one person can survive. But who will it be? Will her feelings get the better of her? Will she let someone else win so they don't have to die? If Katniss is going to win she's going to have to be brutal. She's going to have to kill!

This is the second time I have read The Hunger Games! And since reading it the first time round I've wanted to read it again! But I just have so many books I haven't read and it's hard to balance it right but finally I've decided to read them again! The Hunger Games was DEFINITELY the best series I read last year! I would really suggest reading it if you haven't yet! It's really different from lots of the other stuff I read. And it's a good book to take you somewhere else; I could really get into The Hunger Game and I've been able to get into it reading it the second time round. Although it is more difficult reading it the second time round because I have now seen the film and I imagined it completely differently to how they did it in the film - and I liked my version better. I'm going straight onto the next one, Catching Fire, as you can't resist reading them all as quickly as possible as soon as you've started!

The book was 100% better than the film. A good book to sit down with on a horrible rain day! It makes you happy to be alive and happy to know that you are not going to be entered in a competition where you are to fight to your death every year. But it's a great story! And a great idea for a story. It's one of the books I wish I had written myself! One of my favourite series of book ever! I highly suggest reading it, and hope Suzanne Collins goes on to write more teen fiction as The Hunger Games was so good! I would read anything by her without batting an eyelid! One of the best authors out there at the moment in my opinion! Good job Suzanne Collins!

I would rate it ten million stars... If I could but I can't, so I will rate a very well earned five stars!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/22/review-the-hunger-games-suzanne-collins

## Activities

For teaching resources on The Hunger Games, visit:

https://historytech.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/8-hunger-games-lesson-plans-resources-and-activities/

## Other Links

Author's personal website: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQcgJTqGsqs