Suzanne Collins - 'The Hunger Games'

For me reading this book was a bit of a have to read it not a want to read it. My 11-year-old daughter had it recommend to her at school last week by her classroom teacher and the deputy principal. I was horrified. I had seen the movie preview (which has a M rating in Australia) and had already decided I didn't want to watch the movie or read the book because I thought it looked too scary! Admittedly, at that point I hadn't realised it was aimed at a teenage audience. My daughter of course wanted to read it and she knows with these sorts of books she has to check first. I need to say here, that I love my daughters' school and this particular teacher is fabulous! However I think he made a error in promoting this particular book to a class of students that age. After reading, it wasn't as inappropriate as I thought it was going to be, but nothing takes away the fact that the story is about children being sent out to kill other children as entertainment for other people. I did decide to let Erin read it, but I am still not terribly comfortable with the decision and I am going to go speak to the teacher about it.

Now that bit is out of the way, I admit that, as an adult, I loved the book! Once again unputdownable (sorry to anyone who doesn't like this word). But I literally sat and read it in two sittings in the one day. The story is simply written and is fast paced. It is a little predictable, but I don't think it would have been as good if the story had gone another way.

The Hunger Games is a reality TV show where each district is forced to choose one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete. The contestants are chosen by a ballot and are then paraded as part of the lead up to the show. Once placed into the arena it is a fight to the death and the audience expects it to provide entertainment. Katniss Everdeen steps forward to compete rather then let her sister die. It is a battle of survival where food, shelter and weapons are all currency and the way to get ahead is by pleasing the audience, but at the end of the day there can only be one winner.

I recommend this book for teenagers or adults who enjoy action books and who can separate the themes from the fact it is supposed to be about children. I am still not convinced it is a book for younger children thematically, even though stylistically written at a style and pace that is appropriate.