Mocking Jay

As mentioned previously, my younger daughter is essentially a non-reader.  She, however, loved The Hunger Games trilogy so much that we purchased Mocking Jay the day it came out in 2010.  I started this trilogy a couple months after the third book entered the market--the third book was equal in intensity, interest, and quality as the first two books.

The third book is about Katniss becoming the symbolic leader of the rebellion against the government.  These books are violent and adequately graphic to get the point across (but not so much as to turn off the feint of heart).  As is the current trend to turn popular books into movies, I'm afraid the violence would overtake the strong plot.  The Hunger Games books are not books I would teach in class; however, I would not hesitate to recommend them to an eager junior high student.  I think they would make a great selection for a adolescent book discussion club.

Catching Fire

The moment I finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I needed to read obtain the second book in the trilogy.  The two library systems used by our family had a wait list, so I got the Kindle version immediately.  Normally, I can wait; however, I needed to start the second book Catching Fire.

The book was just as fulfilling as the first one.  DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU WANT TO READ THE FIRST BOOK--SPOILER.  This book leaves off after Katniss' victory in the 74th annual Hunger Games and the unheard of saving of TWO winners--her partner Peeta.  Katniss learns that winning is not always positive, and now she is a pawn for the government.  She needs to maintain an appearance that she is in love with Peeta--which adds further complications to the plot.  Now, a year later, Katniss and Peeta must compete in the 75th Hunger Games with all former champions.

A well-written adolescent lit book that is enjoyed equally with adult readers.  When I finished, I was glad we had a copy of the third book upstairs!

The Hunger Games

My younger daughter is a thirteen-year-old non-reader.  She is not one to pick up a book.  In fact, with two weeks left of the summer she still has another book to finish her summer "homework" assigned by me.  One of her friends at school is probably the most voracious reader I know.  She recommended The Hunger Games to my daughter, who in turn recommended it to me. 

This book by Suzanne Collins was published in 2008.  It is a post-apocolyptic tale about a girl who put herself (in place of her younger sister) in the Hunger Games--a government-sanctioned game where opponents (chosen from a lottery of all 12-18 year olds in each district) fight to the death.  The story follows Katniss Everdeen's journey. 

Themes in the novel include government control, haves and have-nots, friendships, love, family, poverty.  This novel would appeal to male or females.  In 2009 and 2010, Collins published two more books in the series:  Catching Fire and Mocking Jay.