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The Hunger Games
Book (2008)
Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone fighting against you? Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death -- televised for all of Panem to see. Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love. - Publisher.
Book (2008)
Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone fighting against you? Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death -- televised for all of Panem to see. Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love. - Publisher.
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Content at a glance
More filled segments mean stronger content.
Sex & Nudity
Characters kiss and have crushes, and a love story between two tributes is central. Bare bodies are mentioned in the context of healing wounds.
Violence & Gore
Many teens die by spear, arrow, knife, fire, and other methods. The review notes detailed descriptions of how Katniss' father died in a mining explosion and how her family almost starved afterward when her mom fell into a depressive state.
Profanity
Language includes "hell," and descriptions of cursing that don't appear in the text.
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking
Adults drink, and one key character is often drunk, implied to abuse alcohol to cope with trauma. A 16-year-old tries wine and switches back to water.
Frightening Scenes
Teens are shown dying by many means and the source describes a boy's mauled face, twitching death from insect stings, and a fight to the death televised for entertainment. Prolonged peril and the threat of being killed by other tributes make the story intense and scary for younger readers.
Other things to know
No product placements in the book, but the story spawned a multibillion dollar franchise with games, toys and merchandise in its marketing.
Positives & learning
More filled segments mean stronger positive content or learning value.
Positive messages
Love of and loyalty to family, friends and community are presented as powerful motivations, with compassion, bravery and integrity as seeds of hope.
Role models
Katniss is described as a strong, capable warrior who bravely takes her sister's place, and mentors are presented as caring though flawed.
Representation
Katniss is a strong female lead not restrained by gender norms, yet forced into a feminine stereotype in her romance with Peeta. Most privileged characters are implied White, with Rue and Thresh described as Black.
Learning
Families can discuss how the story reflects gaps between wealthy and poor, the media's manipulation, and courage, compassion and integrity. The review notes it is a discussion starter for middle-school and up book groups.
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