The Hunger Games

This week, I read the first book in Susan Collins's series, The Hunger Games (2008). The Hunger Games takes place in a futuristic time, in a place known as Panem. President Snow has started an annual event called The Hunger Games, due to a revolution in the past. Throughout the games, the tributes must represent their district in hopes of coming out victorious. What they do not know, is that they are now about to enter the biggest uprising Panem has ever seen. The Hunger Games has been nominated for and received multiple awards, such as Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, Cybils Award for Fantasy and Science Fiction- Young Adult, and California Young Reader Medal: Young Adult.

I first read this series in my eight grade English class. I immediately fell in love with the idea of Katniss and Peta, but I did not think they were being treated fairly. The capital of Panem was very controlling, almost like dictatorship. Having citizens of a country fight against one another does not show patriotism. Instead, it is rebelling districts against each other rather uniting them.This book brought smiles, tears of sadness. The end lead me to wanting more, and I am so glad Suzanne Collins created a series. I have read it more than once, and I recommend this series to all.

Question: What shocked you most about the book? What important points do you think the author makes about violence and its effects on society? violence in the media? violence and children?