Module 5: Science Fiction: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Summary: Protagonist Katniss makes the ultimate sacrifice by taking her sister's place in The Hunger Games - an annual competition - to the death. Her cunning and wit make The Hunger Games an enjoyable competition - and book!

Citation: Collins, S. (2008) The Hunger Games.New York : Scholastic Press.

My Thoughts: I love dystopian literature, so I especially enjoyed The Hunger Games. Katniss is a great female role model who shows that you are stronger than you think and can bravely face any obstacle.

Reviews:

Francisca Goldsmith (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2008 (Vol. 105, No. 1)

Starred Review* This is a grand-opening salvo in a new series by the author of the Underland Chronicles. Sixteen-year-old Katniss poaches food for her widowed mother and little sister from the forest outside the legal perimeter of District 12, the poorest of the dozen districts constituting Panem, the North American dystopic state that has replaced the U.S. in the not-too-distant future. Her hunting and tracking skills serve her well when she is then cast into the nation’s annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death where contestants must battle harsh terrain, artificially concocted weather conditions, and two teenaged contestants from each of Panem’s districts. District 12’s second “tribute” is Peeta, the baker’s son, who has been in love with Katniss since he was five. Each new plot twist ratchets up the tension, moving the story forward and keeping the reader on edge. Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents’ next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance. Grades 9-12

Gail C. Krause (Children's Literature)

In a futuristic society, the United States is divided into 12 districts, each based on their area’s natural product. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, an area once known as Appalachia. District 12’s product is coal. Almost everyone is a miner. It is not a wealthy area. Residents are forced to eat whatever they can find or pay with a chance on their child’s life to obtain government surplus foods. Luckily Kat’s father taught her how to hunt and gather before he was blown up in a mine explosion. After his death her family depends on her for survival, until the very worst thing happens to them: She is sent to the Hunger Games to represent District 12 in a fight to the death. If she wins, both her family and her district will be rewarded with all the food and wealth they need. Kat is ready to do battle with the wilderness and the other tributes, but she isn’t ready to fall in love. What happens when she finds she has feelings for her partner and knows she must kill him to win the games? The first in a new YA trilogy from Suzanne Collins offers and excellent story and is highly recommended. Readers will oo forward to the sequels. 2008, Scholastic Books, $17.99. Ages 12 up.

Suggested Uses: The Hunger Games is the modern flagship series for dystopian literature and as such would work as a great anchor book for a literature circle containing books with a dystopian theme.