Module 8

Module 8
March 8-14

The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press. 2008. ISBN: 0439023483

Synopsis:
Katniss lives in District Twelve with her family. She hunts illegally outside the district to keep them from starving on the poor rations that they get from the Capitol of Panem. Once a year, all twelve districts have to send two applicants each, a boy and a girl between ages twelve to eighteen, to compete in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are a game of survival, and the winner is the one who is alive at the end. This year Katniss’s younger sister, Prim, is chosen. To prevent her sister from going, Katniss volunteers to go in her spot. Peeta is also chosen to go as the boy from District Twelve. Both get to the Capitol and are prepared to compete in the most deadly game that they will ever see. They both soon realize that although they are given no choice in the competition they can still show the Capitol how they feel about the games in other ways.

My Version of the World:
This is a riveting book from page one. The plight of Katniss and her family are immediately endearing, and the government is horrible. When Katniss takes Prim’s place, it seems inevitable because Katniss always protects Prim. The book builds from that point in. The reader isn’t sure if Katniss will survive, how Katniss feels about Peeta, or who they should trust in this strange world that they are both thrust into. This is a surefire winner for just about anyone.

Book Reviews:

Suzanne Collins's first book (Scholastic, 2008) of a planned trilogy introduces an easy-to-imagine, cruel future society divided by wealth and obsessed with media and celebrity. The controlling Capitol broadcasts the Hunger Games, mandatory watching for all citizens of Panem. The annual event pits 24 Tributes-a girl and boy teen from each of the 12 Districts surrounding the Capitol-against one another in a desperate battle to the death. When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her younger sister's place as District Twelve's girl Tribute, she is thrown into a media frenzy, complete with stylists and costumes, literally fighting for her life in the arena. Intense, graphic action, along with a touch of romance, makes this dystopic adventure a great choice for older reluctant readers. Although the plot mimics both Stephen King's The Long Walk (Penguin, 1999) and Running Man (Signet, 1999) as well as Koushon Takami's Battle Royale (Tokyopop, 2007), Collins creates a fascinating world and Katniss is a believably flawed and interesting character. Carolyn McCormick ably voices the action-packed sequences and Katniss's every fear and strength shines through, along with her doomed growing attraction to one of her fellow Tributes. This engrossing audiobook belongs in all public and school libraries.-Charli Osborne. April 1, 2009. School Library Journal.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen cannot believe it when her younger sister Prim is chosen as the female tribute from their district at the Reaping. In this futuristic society, each district is required to send two tributes to the Games in the Capitol where they must fight to the death while the whole country watches on live television. To protect her sister, Katniss volunteers to take her place, knowing that she will probably never again return home. Twenty-four young people are dropped off in a remote area and must fight for survival against the harsh conditions and each other. Only one is allowed to live. Katniss and Peeta, the other tribute from District 12, form an uneasy alliance that blossoms into romance amid the brutality and deprivation of the Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta try to rebel against the Gamemakers but discover that they must play the game to its end. Collins moves up a level from the Gregor the Overlander books in this gripping story that is the first of a new trilogy. Themes of government control, big brother, and personal independence are explored amidst a thrilling adventure that will appeal to science fiction, survival, and adventure readers. The suspense of this powerful novel will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime.-Deborah L. Dubois. October 1, 2008. Voice of Youth Advocates.

In My World:
I would use this book as a read aloud. It could prompt discussion into current news stories such as the morality of reality television. It could also come alongside a unit on different types of government or a unit on botany. Any of these would be fantastic options with this book, but primarily, I would use this as a read-aloud.