Featured Author of the Month: 'Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games

Written by Bob Suggs Wednesday, 31 August 2011 23:00

Books - Featured

Featured Author of the Month: 'Suzanne Collins' September 2011

The Hunger Games [Book 1]
Suzanne Collins

Now a major motion picture starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz and others. The Hunger Games - Release Date: March 23, 2012 (2D theater and IMAX)

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch.

When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator.'

Reviews:
"I was so obsessed with this book I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading. The story kept me up for several nights in a row, because even after I was finished, I just lay in bed wide awake thinking about it...The Hunger Games is amazing."
--Stephenie Meyer, www.stepheniemeyer.com

"The Hunger Games is as close to perfect an adventure novel as I've ever read. I could not put it down. Collins has transformed the ancient Labyrinth myth into a terrifyingly believable tale of future America. Readers will be hungry for more.
--Rick Riordan, author of The Percy Jackson Series and The 39 Clues

“[The Hunger Games] is a great book, and very thought-provoking. Read this along with your teen and discuss it.”
--Charlaine Harris, www.charlaineharris.com

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; Reprint edition (July 3, 2010)
Language: English

About the Author:
Suzanne Collins has had a successful and prolific career writing for children's television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. Collins made her mark in children's literature with the New York Times bestselling five-book series for middle-grade readers The Underland Chronicles, which has received numerous accolades in both the United States and abroad. In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Collins lives with her family in Connecticut.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, Book 1)

148 New from $6.46 268 Used from $0.06 29 Collectible from $5.00 as of 05/22/2013 3:52 MST details Technical Details Add To Baby Registry Add To Wedding Registry Add To Wishlist Tell A Friend All Customer Reviews All Offers

Author: Suzanne Collins Binding: Hardcover Brand: Scholastic Press EAN: 9780439023481 EANList: ISBN: 9780439023481 IsEligibleForTradeIn: 1 ItemDimensions: Label: Scholastic Press Languages: ListPrice: Manufacturer: Scholastic Press MPN: 9780439023481 NumberOfItems: 1 NumberOfPages: 384 PackageDimensions: PartNumber: 9780439023481 ProductGroup: Book ProductTypeName: ABIS_BOOK PublicationDate: 2008-09-14 Publisher: Scholastic Press SKU: 135342 Studio: Scholastic Press Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, Book 1) TradeInValue: UPC: 352010002056 UPCList:

Product Description Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, Book 2)

315 New from $6.45 580 Used from $1.62 25 Collectible from $7.00 as of 05/22/2013 3:52 MST details Technical Details Add To Baby Registry Add To Wedding Registry Add To Wishlist Tell A Friend All Customer Reviews All Offers

Author: Suzanne Collins Binding: Hardcover Brand: Large Print Press EAN: 9780439023498 EANList: Edition: 1st Feature: Recommended Age: 12 years and up ISBN: 9780439023498 IsEligibleForTradeIn: 1 ItemDimensions: Label: Scholastic Press Languages: ListPrice: Manufacturer: Scholastic Press MPN: 9780439023498 NumberOfItems: 1 NumberOfPages: 391 PackageDimensions: PackageQuantity: 1 PartNumber: 9780439023498 ProductGroup: Book ProductTypeName: ABIS_BOOK PublicationDate: 2009-09-01 Publisher: Scholastic Press ReleaseDate: 2009-09-01 SKU: Ki-4-2-10 Studio: Scholastic Press Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, Book 2) TradeInValue: UPC: 352010002070 UPCList:

Product Description Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)

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Author: Suzanne Collins Binding: Hardcover Brand: Large Print Press CatalogNumberList: EAN: 9780439023511 EANList: Edition: 1st Feature: Recommended Age: 12 years and up ISBN: 9780439023511 IsEligibleForTradeIn: 1 ItemDimensions: Label: Scholastic Press Languages: ListPrice: Manufacturer: Scholastic Press MPN: 9780439023511 NumberOfItems: 1 NumberOfPages: 400 PackageDimensions: PackageQuantity: 1 PartNumber: 9780439023511 ProductGroup: Book ProductTypeName: ABIS_BOOK PublicationDate: 2010-08-24 Publisher: Scholastic Press ReleaseDate: 2010-08-24 SKU: ACAMP_book_usedlikenew_0439023513 Studio: Scholastic Press Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3) TradeInValue:

Product Description Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. Amazon.com Review Product Description Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. A Q&A with Suzanne Collins, Author of Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) Q: You have said from the start that The Hunger Games story was intended as a trilogy. Did it actually end the way you planned it from the beginning? A: Very much so. While I didn't know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process. Q: We understand you worked on the initial screenplay for a film to be based on The Hunger Games. What is the biggest difference between writing a novel and writing a screenplay? A: There were several significant differences. Time, for starters. When you're adapting a novel into a two-hour movie you can't take everything with you. The story has to be condensed to fit the new form. Then there's the question of how best to take a book told in the first person and present tense and transform it into a satisfying dramatic experience. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Finally, there's the challenge of how to present the violence while still maintaining a PG-13 rating so that your core audience can view it. A lot of things are acceptable on a page that wouldn't be on a screen. But how certain moments are depicted will ultimately be in the director's hands. Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games, or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas? A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but--given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games--it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it. Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. What do you think the appeal of reality television is--to both kids and adults? A: Well, they're often set up as games and, like sporting events, there's an interest in seeing who wins. The contestants are usually unknown, which makes them relatable. Sometimes they have very talented people performing. Then there's the voyeuristic thrill—watching people being humiliated, or brought to tears, or suffering physically--which I find very disturbing. There's also the potential for desensitizing the audience, so that when they see real tragedy playing out on, say, the news, it doesn't have the impact it should. Q: If you were forced to compete in the Hunger Games, what do you think your special skill would be? A: Hiding. I'd be scaling those trees like Katniss and Rue. Since I was trained in sword-fighting, I guess my best hope would be to get hold of a rapier if there was one available. But the truth is I'd probably get about a four in Training. Q: What do you hope readers will come away with when they read The Hunger Games trilogy? A: Questions about how elements of the books might be relevant in their own lives. And, if they're disturbing, what they might do about them. Q: What were some of your favorite novels when you were a teen? A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Lord of the Flies by William Golding Boris by Jaapter Haar Germinal by Emile Zola Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (Photo © Cap Pryor)

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Featured Author of the Month: 'Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games
Featured Author of the Month: 'Suzanne Collins' September 2011 The Hunger Games [Book 1] Suzanne Collins Now a major motion picture starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth,...

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