Book: Suzanne Collins. Hunger Games. New York City: Scholastic, 2008.
Awards: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, Hal Clement Award, Cybils Awards for Fantasy and Science Fiction, Californina Young Reader Medal: Young Adult, and many more.
Genre: Adventure/Science Fiction
Summary: Katniss Everdeen is the female tribute for the annual Hunger Games. The games are designed to remind the districts of what will happen if they decide to rebel. Katniss is forced to fight to the death in the games. She, along with the male tribute, Peeta must attempt to survive and make it out of the arena alive.
Audience: Grades 6-12
Themes: One of the first themes presented in the book is family. Katniss offers to go into the arena in place of her younger sister Prim. Katniss knows her sister would never survive and loves her enough to take her place in the annual hunger games. She leaves behind her mother and her sister as her father died in a mining accident years before. She wants what is best for her family and believes volunteering as tribute is what she needs to do for them.
Another theme found throughout the book is survival. Obviously Katniss is attempting to survive in the games so she can return home to her family. everyone involved in the games is trying to do the same thing. While Katniss is trying to survive in the arena, people in the districts are trying to survive as well. Most live without adequate food or basic needs. Those in the arena are not the only ones barely getting by.
Evidence:
"As long as you can find yourself, you'll never starve."
I thought this quote was somewhat comical. It showed the authors sense of humor while writing. This quote is spoken when Katniss's dad introduces her to the plant Katniss.
"Rue's death has forced me to confront my own fury against the cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us. But here, even more strongly than at home, I feel my impotence. There's no way to take revenge on the Capitol. Is there?"
This is where we first see Katniss's outrage with the capital. She is fed up with the killing and the overall control of the capital. She is realizing how big the issue really is and is unsure of how to proceed.
Connections: This book could be used for lessons regarding a utopian/dystopian society. There are also elements of the social injustices like class and rank that could be incorporated into lessons along these lines.
Reactions: I originally read this book almost right after it came out. I loved it the first time I read it and loved it even more when I read it for this class! I think it is extremely well written and well thought out. Collins does a fantastic job of creating this entirely knew world for readers to jump into.
Reception: "A violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense...I couldn't stop reading." -Stephen King
"Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced."-John Green
Links: The Hunger Games Official Website
Awards: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, Hal Clement Award, Cybils Awards for Fantasy and Science Fiction, Californina Young Reader Medal: Young Adult, and many more.
Genre: Adventure/Science Fiction
Summary: Katniss Everdeen is the female tribute for the annual Hunger Games. The games are designed to remind the districts of what will happen if they decide to rebel. Katniss is forced to fight to the death in the games. She, along with the male tribute, Peeta must attempt to survive and make it out of the arena alive.
Audience: Grades 6-12
Themes: One of the first themes presented in the book is family. Katniss offers to go into the arena in place of her younger sister Prim. Katniss knows her sister would never survive and loves her enough to take her place in the annual hunger games. She leaves behind her mother and her sister as her father died in a mining accident years before. She wants what is best for her family and believes volunteering as tribute is what she needs to do for them.
Another theme found throughout the book is survival. Obviously Katniss is attempting to survive in the games so she can return home to her family. everyone involved in the games is trying to do the same thing. While Katniss is trying to survive in the arena, people in the districts are trying to survive as well. Most live without adequate food or basic needs. Those in the arena are not the only ones barely getting by.
Evidence:
"As long as you can find yourself, you'll never starve."
I thought this quote was somewhat comical. It showed the authors sense of humor while writing. This quote is spoken when Katniss's dad introduces her to the plant Katniss.
"Rue's death has forced me to confront my own fury against the cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us. But here, even more strongly than at home, I feel my impotence. There's no way to take revenge on the Capitol. Is there?"
This is where we first see Katniss's outrage with the capital. She is fed up with the killing and the overall control of the capital. She is realizing how big the issue really is and is unsure of how to proceed.
Connections: This book could be used for lessons regarding a utopian/dystopian society. There are also elements of the social injustices like class and rank that could be incorporated into lessons along these lines.
Reactions: I originally read this book almost right after it came out. I loved it the first time I read it and loved it even more when I read it for this class! I think it is extremely well written and well thought out. Collins does a fantastic job of creating this entirely knew world for readers to jump into.
Reception: "A violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense...I couldn't stop reading." -Stephen King
"Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced."-John Green
Links: The Hunger Games Official Website