The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

We read this for my college adolescent literature class and all fell in love with it. Collins mixes television's "Survivor" with War coverage in this young-adult thriller, sending twenty-four kids to fight to the death in order to win food for life. The story takes place in the USA in the distant future and the country is divided into twelve main districts. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, is from the twelfth and poorest district. To show that they're in charge, each year, the government takes twenty-four children (two from each district) and forces them to kill each other all the while being filmed and broadcast all over the twelve districts. The novel follows the story of Katniss trying to stay alive while battling her feelings for a fellow competitor. I was hooked from the beginning and had to force myself to put it down. It's just so different from other young-adult books that it kept me intrigued through to the end. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the sequels - Catching Fire and Mockingjay.] -- recommended by Carrie K. - Bennett Martin Public Library and South Branch

[Also available in downloadable, book-on-cd formats.]

[ publisher's official Hunger Games and Suzanne Collins web site ]

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