Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games were just another game to the people of Panem. Until they weren’t anymore. At least not to everyone. One day Katniss Everdeen was out hunting with her best friend Gale, and the next minute she was getting ready for the 74th annual Hunger Games. She was debating whether or not her name was going to be called, when hers wasn’t, but someone she loved most dearly was. Her beloved sister Prim’s name, one out of thousands, was picked. What would Katniss do without her sister. What is there to do but take her place in the reaping. She promised her sister that she would be the last one standing, to win the Games, but would she? Or would she just perish like all the other contestants in the game.

There are many big characters in these books. Katniss, is a 16 year old girl willing to lose her life, to keep her sister, and mother alive. Peeta, a bakers son, never expects to be picked for the games, but he is. Gale, Katniss’ hunting partner, and lifelong friend. He is kind of in love with her, but can’t tell her. Haymitch is the only survivor of the 50th Hunger Games. He is also the only surviving tribute, from District 12.

The age recommendation for this book is 12 and up. It has three hundred eighty four pages packed with details, and gore, and love. I would recommend it to both boys and girls. It is really a page turning thriller, filled with magic, romance, and war.

My favorite part in the book is when Peeta says "Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to... to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their games." He wants to show the capitol that they don’t own him, and that he is not just part of their games. He is a human being, and killing them for entertainment is wrong. Kirkus reviews says “Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting.” Publishers Weekly says “Readers will wait eagerly to learn more.”

Awards and honors received by this book are,
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER
WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF 2008:
CHILDREN'S FICTION
NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2008
AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
TOP TEN BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION
AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK
2009 ALA AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT LIST
#1 ON WINTER '08/'09 CHILDREN'S INDIE NEXT LIST
INDIES CHOICE--BEST INDIE YOUNG ADULT BUZZ BOOK HONOR
2008 CYBIL AWARD--FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
2009 CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
TEEN CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST
YALSA'S TEENS' TOP TEN, 2009
NYPL “STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE” LIST, 2009
CCBC CHOICES 2009
A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE
A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2008
A HORN BOOK FANFARE
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS Of 2008
A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE, 2008
LA TIMES FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 2008
BARNES & NOBLE BEST BOOKS OF 2008 FOR TEENS AND KIDS,
BORDERS BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TEENS,
AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF 2008:TOP 100 EDITORS' PICK,
TOP 10 BOOKS: TEENS

"[The Hunger Games] is a violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense...I couldn't stop reading." says Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly Review. Suzanne Collins has also written, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay to go with this series, and the Gregor The Overlander Underland Chronicles series.

Recommended by Isabel Brehm

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