Bibliographic Information: Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York: Scholastic.
Plot Summary-
Katniss Everdeen is a citizen of Panem, the country once known as the
United States of America. After a brutal war seventy-four years
earlier, the capitol of Panem instituted the Hunger Games as a
punishment for its citizens’ rebellion. Each year, a boy and a girl
from each of the 12 districts are chosen as a tribute to compete in the
Hunger Games. These twenty-four young tributes all fight to the death
for the same thin-- to be victor. As the volunteer tribute from
District 12, Katniss is faced with the biggest challenge she’s faced
yet, winning the Hunger Games. Inside the arena, Katniss’ internal
battle with her feelings for fellow tribute Peeta, clash with her love
for Gale, her best friend left back home. But this isn’t Katniss’ only
challenge. Panem’s oppressive government is suspicious of Katniss, and
worries she might spark another rebellion. Who will come out victor?
Critical Evaluation- The Hunger Games is today’s version of The Giver.
Susan Collins’ depiction of the theme government oppression makes for interesting classroom or book club discussions. The
parallels between our society and the Capitol are haunting: the
obsession with reality television, the desensitization to violence, the
chase for the latest fashion, and love of the extravagant and ornate.
The lives of the district members juxtapose those in the Capitol, and
mirror the same contradictions we see in our country. Katniss Everdeen
is reminiscent of the hesitant hero, Harry Potter. She has become a
symbol of hope through her determination to fulfill the promise she made
to her sister: to win. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and
Gale, brings both tension and comic relief, and is sure to divide the
readers between Team Gale and Team Peeta. Collins’ strong female
protagonist is believable because she is real. Like many of her readers
she has baggage that weighs heavily on her heart. The loss of her
father coupled with the poverty of her family motivates her to provide
for her family. Katniss appeals to both young men and women as a
strong, yet formidable teenager faced with conflicts that force her to
grow.
Reader’s Annotation- Twenty-four players, and only one comes out alive. Are the odds in your favor?
Info about the Author: Suzanne Collins began her writing career writing for children’s television shows like Clarissa Explains It All, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Little Bear, and Oswald. It was during her work on Generation O!
when she received encouragement from James Proimos, a children’s
author, to try her hand at writing children’s stories. Her first series
was The Underland Chronicles, which was followed by the international bestseller trilogy The Hunger Games (Collins, n.d.)
Collin’s inspiration for the novel came through the classical Greek myth Theseus and the Minotaur, Roman gladiator battles, and our current obsession with reality television (Scholastic, n.d.).
Genre: Dystopian, Action, Science Fiction
Curriculum ties: Theme, Elements of Plot, Government
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Peeta’s point of view.
2. Conduct a class reaping
Reading level/Interest Age: 12+
Challenge Issues: This novel includes violence, death, and rebellion.
To defend challenged material I would:
1. Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.
2. Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.
3. Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
4. Refer to the collection policy of my library.
5. Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material
Why I chose this book: The Hunger Games trilogy has become a sensation on and off screen. The novel that served as the basis for the hit movie has garnered rave reviews from YA author John Green, Time magazine, and Stephanie Meyer (Wikipedia, n.d.).
Why I chose this book: The Hunger Games trilogy has become a sensation on and off screen. The novel that served as the basis for the hit movie has garnered rave reviews from YA author John Green, Time magazine, and Stephanie Meyer (Wikipedia, n.d.).
References:
Collins, S. (n.d.) Webpage. Retrieved 15 March 2013 from
Scholastic. (n.d.) The hunger games. Video. Retrieved 1 May 2013 from
http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/videos/mockingjay.htm
Wikipedia. (n.d.) The hunger games. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games#Critical_reception
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