Linda Ashman
Children's Book Author

After winning the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss is prepared to go on her victory tour through the districts and the Capitol. On the morning the tour begins, she gets an unexpected visit from President Snow. And the news he brings to her is terrible.

Katniss will have to portray herself as someone whom she is not if she is to save her loved ones. She and Peeta take desperate measures, but they aren't able to pull it off, and they have endangered all the people around them. And, to top it off, The Hunger Games are coming, and they are going to be different from before.

Every 25 years since the districts rebelled, there has been a Quarter Quell for The Hunger Games, each one signifying the Capitols power. Each Quarter Quell changes the Games a little bit. And now, after two Quarter Quells, the third is looming, and the way the Games will be played is being announced.

President Snow bringing the news, from CATCHING FIRE: "On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it . . . On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes . . . And now our third Quarter Quell . . . "

Suzanne Collins writes a book that is just as good, surprising, scary and PERFECT as THE HUNGER GAMES. This series will be loved by anyone and everyone who reads it. It surpasses even the biggest hits of our time. This is the next great series, and will soon become a classic. It has produced my two favorite books, and I eagerly anticipate the third.


RATING: Again, off the scale. About 200 out of 5.

In the country of Panem is a capital surrounded by 12, once 13, districts. Many years ago, the districts rebelled against the capital, but were hopelessly outmatched. As punishment, the Hunger Games were formed. Gruesome games where tributes have a tiny chance of survival. It is a fight to the death, where the only way to survive is to win. For the other 23 contestants to die.

PRESENT DAY

It is reaping day, the day when the names are drawn for the 24 tributes going to the Hunger Games. There will be 2, a boy and a girl, from each district. As you get older, your name gets put in more and more times. From 12-the first year of eligibility- you are entered once into the pot of names from your district, to 18- the last year you could be sent to the games- when you are entered 7 times. That is, unless you are in a family that needs food. The kind of family that Katniss Everdeen lives in.

If you are in a family like that, you can have your name entered extra times, so you can get an extra ration of grain and oil. You can enter your name as many times as you want, and for each extra time you enter your name, you get another ration. Katniss, who is now 16, has entered her name 3 extra times each year, and since entries are accumulated, her name is entered twenty times, and her sister, now 12, is only entered once. As the time for the reaping comes and the name for the girls is drawn, Katniss prays that it will not be her. And it isn't. It is her sister.

Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place, and she is sent of to the Capitol to participate in the games. But she holds a special tie to the boy tribute from district 12.

Katniss does well, but can she survive a double-crossing from the gamemakers?

Suzanne Collins writes a book that will be loved by every person who reads it. She keeps you at the edge of your seat, and has surprises waiting around every corner. THE HUNGER GAMES is likely to become a favorite book of anyone who reads it. It sure is mine.

RATING: Off the scale. Somewhere around a 200 out of 5.

Note: After reading THE HUNGER GAMES, read CATCHING FIRE, book two in the series.