The Hunger Games (Book 1)
Written by Susan Collins
Published by Scholastic in 2008
384 pages
Science Fiction
The Hunger Games is the first book in its three-part series. Book one introduces its readers to a place called Panem, which is located on the North American continent where the past nations have since fallen and been destroyed. Panem rules harshly over twelve districts, and the society is overall an unhappy one with significant socioeconomic differences. Each year, all twelve districts choose one boy and one girl between the ages of 12-18 to fight to the death on national TV. Similar to the popular TV show Survivor, their games take o inhumane brutality as the public passively watches in awe. This novel and its following books follow sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who becomes a part of the games voluntarily when she insists on switching places with her sister. A plethora of more mature topics are tackled in this novel, such as the importance of dignity, the value of human life, the dangers of an all-powerful government, and the dangers of desensitization. This book would definitely only be appropriate for an upper-elementary grade, and only for its more mature students. If I taught fifth or sixth grade, I might use this book as a part of literature circles and allow only certain, appropriate groups to choose it. It would be a great book to connect to social studies that would allow students to see the importance of democratic government and the vitality of political and social awareness.
I love the Hunger Games books! I read all of them and they were so interesting. I love that you stated that this book may not be suitable for all students and you would carefully select the students who will read. Even though this book is interesting, it also has content that is for mature audiences.
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