I loved this book because there was so much action and tension! It was also good because I felt that I was actually in the story. Once I started the book I couldn't stop! The only problem is that there is some violence so it wouldn't really be good for younger kids.
The Hunger Games
(2008, Fiction - Science fiction, Written by Suzanne Collins)
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Exciting, provocative tale of lethal reality show.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Hunger Games was written by Matt Berman
Parents need to know that this is a story about a reality show where 24 teens must kill one another until only one survives. They do so with spears, rocks, arrows, knives, fire, and by hand. It's not unduly gory, but there is lots of violence, all of it teen on teen.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the many issues the author raises. How much of a stretch is it for people to see killing as entertainment? Which reality shows remind you of the one in this book, and how? Do other countries see us the way the districts see Capitol? How different is the lifestyle of Capitol from today's urban centers? What would you be willing to do to survive? What are Katniss' true feelings towards Peeta?
Have you read it? Review It!
More on The Hunger Games
Book Summary
In the future, the U.S. is gone. In its place is Panem, in which the city of Capitol, somewhere in the Rockies, rules over 12 rebellious districts. To maintain their iron grip, they hold an annual televised reality show, a lethal form of Survivor to which each district must send one boy and one girl. Out of these 24 teens, only one will survive. Katniss, who volunteers to take her sister's place, and Peeta are District 12's competitors, but their competition is complicated by Peeta's announcement that he is in love with Katniss.
Is It Any Good?
Author Suzanne Collins burst onto the scene with her marvelous Gregor the Overlander: Underland Chronicles, Book 1, a different sort of middle-grade fantasy marked by unusually strong characters. Now, for her first young-adult novel, she has mixed together elements both classical and modern to produce a story that, if not entirely new, nevertheless bears her unique imprint. Beginning with elements of the Theseus myth, she mixes in a large dollop of Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, elements of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, current reality shows Survivor, American Gladiators, and Project Runway, and an extrapolation of current political and social trends. But she makes it her own, and the book avoids feeling derivative, through her complex and poignant characterizations of both major and secondary characters, and the bewildering interplay of personal feelings and political machinations.
She does all this in the context of an all-out action-thriller told in straight-ahead yet subtle prose with a carefully calibrated level of edgy violence that never goes over the line. A story of teens massacring each other could, in the hands of a different author, have been sensationalistic and even sick but, by keeping the focus relentlessly on the personal, Collins makes it both moving and thought-provoking. This will be a terrific discussion starter for middle-school literature groups, in which students will quickly make fruitful connections to our own society. Gregor the Overlander was brilliant, but could have been a fluke. With this second series, Collins shows that she is a major new voice in children's and young adult literature.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., Publication date: 9/14/2008
Number of pages: 374, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 12, Read Alone: 12
Number of pages: 374, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 12, Read Alone: 12
Our Members Say
See 62 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
-
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
I couldn't put this book down!
-
Kids ages: 12, 15
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
All the rage -- great read
This book series is all the rage at our middle school and it's a compelling read. Very few kids who start this book don't finish it. It's not typically a genre that I would choose, but it's got me hooked too. Looking forward to the 3rd installment.
-
Kids ages: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Fine for most Middle Schoolers
I am a middle school librarian. 95 percent of kids and adults who read it love it! I love it as well. I have seen plenty of 5th and 6th graders read it with no problem. with friends, I tell them to read it first and decide if they want their kids to read it. There is violence, yes, but it is not glorified, and it made clear that it is not a comfortable position for the main characters to be put in. For kids who enjoy man vs. nature stories, this will fit the bill. Sooo good, it shouldn't be discounted.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
AMAZING!!!
wow. let me repeat that; WOW. this book is absolutely AMAZING. collins puts a certain twist into her plot, and it feels as realistic as possible. however, there is a lot of gruesome killing, such as impaling, as well as stabbing and forest fires. **SPOILER ALERT** Rue dies :( she killed with a spear. anyways, it gets very emotional at that point. there are also a few kisses between peeta and katniss. probably meant for older kids; 5th grade and up.
-
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Awesome!!
This book is awesome. But some things...violence, bloody, kissing, and...Katniss bathes Peeta... Katniss is a strong female character.
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
Have you read it?
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
Nerdy_Mamma recommends:
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
for kids age 6
See more from Nerdy_Mamma
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
for kids age 6
See more from Nerdy_Mamma
