THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins is Survivor with a twist. It is a future version of North America, and things have changed. For most life is difficult. Food is scarce and times are hard. No one knows this better than Katniss Everdeen.

Since her father's tragic death in a coal mine explosion, Katniss has been responsible for the health and welfare of her mother and younger sister, Prim. She supplements their meager food supply by illegal hunting in a restricted area known as the Meadow. By trading and selling some of what she and her friend Gale kill, her family holds off starvation. However, if she thought life was rough, it is about to get even worse.

The twelve districts that make up the country are about to celebrate an annual event called the Reaping. It has become tradition that every year at a special gathering the names of two teens (one male and one female) are drawn, and those two are given the honor of representing their district at the Hunger Games. To call it an honor, however, is misleading. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death televised for the viewing entertainment of the nation.

At the Reaping Katniss is horrified when her little sister's name is drawn. To protect Prim, Katniss rushes to the podium to volunteer as her replacement. The next thing she knows, she is on her way to the Capitol most likely to die for her district.

What follows will keep readers turning pages at an astonishing pace. Along with great action and amazing twists, the plot captures the horrors of a society gone horribly wrong. The scary thing is, that society is at times not much different than our own. THE HUNGER GAMES is sure to score top ratings with readers everywhere.