The Hunger Games Movie

The day is finally here! The Hunger Games movie was released today, and it doesn't disappoint. Click here to see School Library Journal's review, which says the movie stays true to the book but doesn't glamorize the gore of the games.

If you go to see the movie, let me know your opinion! I would love to hear from you.

And if you'd like to read other books like The Hunger Games, click here for Hornbook's list of dystopian readalikes.

The Hunger Games Parody

Ah, parodies....they're so wrong and yet so right. And they're not just done on Saturday Night Live, either -- now there's one for the best-selling trilogy (and soon-to-be-movie) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! The Hunger But Mainly Death Games: A Parody is now available from Amazon for the Kindle (Bummer....why can't they make a hardcover??). Here is the hilarious product description:

Mockstrich season has begun. Welcome to "The Hunger But Mainly Death Games," the hilarious Hunger Games parody, and the only book brave enough to suggest that Suzanne Collins' epic trilogy was way more about death than food.

Or at least this is what Bratniss Everclean discovers, when she leaves the comforts of Slum 12, Pandumb's garbage dump, to shortsightedly volunteer for a teenage death tournament. But she soon realizes there are fates worse than death...like weirdly having to date her fellow competitor, and lifelong stalker, Pita Malarkey. Okay, okay, it's not worse than DEATH, but it's still pretty annoying.

Still, with help from her agent Oofie Triptrip and her mentor, Hagridmitch, who's confident he can guide Bratniss to victory in the "Tri-Wizard Cup," maybe Bratniss will somehow survive this book she's the narrator of.

"The Hunger But Mainly Death Games" is the perfect book for anyone who's going through Hunger Games withdrawal and ready for a wonderfully twisted take on their favorite story and characters. This book is also for the unfortunate teens who are trapped in a Hunger Games at this very moment and could really benefit from some levity. We're here for you, assuming you brought your e-reader into the arena.

You can read a small sample of this twisted tale on Amazon.com. If you purchase and read this book, I would love to hear from you!

Book Review- The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Reviewed by Suzanne Macaulay, Spring City

Science Fiction is not my favorite genre but after hearing rave reviews for Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games I decided to give it a try. It takes place in the country of Panem, the remains of what was once the United States. To prevent an uprising, the Capitol invented The Hunger Games. Each year the twelve districts send a boy and girl to compete. The 24 tributes must battle to the death with only one victor. When Katniss Everdeen’s younger sister is selected to represent District 12, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Small and poor, Katniss must devise a strategy to outlast the other 23 brutal competitors.

This book is riveting! It was very difficult to put it down. Katniss’ fears and anxiety were palpable; I often felt that I was right alongside of her during the competition. With the underlying theme of dystopia, comparisons to books like The Giver and Lord of the Flies are inevitable, but The Hunger Games offers plenty of original ideas and is one of the most exciting Young Adult books I’ve read in a long time. It is definitely not for the squeamish, but is highly recommended to grades 10 and up. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel, Catching Fire, due out in the fall. Rumors of an impending movie are all over the internet though nothing has been confirmed yet—fans will have to stay tuned!