The Hunger Games
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Number of Pages: 384
Advertised Age Level: Young Adult
Age and Grade of Main Character(s): 16 years
Language: no profanity
Sex: none at all
Drug/Alcohol Use: one character drinks heavily and is an alcoholic
Violence: extreme violence
Social Issues: dystopian world, oppression, starvation, children forced to kill each other
Suggested Movie Grade: PG-13
Premise: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As punishment for their uprising, each district is forced to send one boy and one girl to participate in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat’s sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.
Potential Points of Concern: The premise of The Hunger Games is how an oppressive government punishes its citizens and keeps them under control by forcing their children to kill each other as a form of sport and entertainment. It is an extremely intense, violent book and may not be appropriate for younger or sensitive readers.
Age Appropriateness: 11 and up, older for sensitive readers
I feel like this book is well written but too graphic for someone under about age 14. I am disappointed to learn from my 7th grade son that his teacher is doing a novel study on it in a few months. Kids killing kids is awful and the depictions are graphic in this book – yes I have read it. For political commentary, I feel there are classics that are less bloody and more appropriate.
Did you know that my 6th grade class read the hunger games in school and it was totally fine. How is it not appropriate? We understood everything and we all loved all three books. And then my younger sister and her friends read the books and loved it! Whats up with parents? Oh no its got violence in it, can’t let my children read about that! Seriously we can handle it and we will if not already be exposed to violence. I mean turn on the news for crying out loud! So thats why that teacher was my favorite, because last year he introduced us to the best books in creation. Its to bad he’s not at my school anymore. Oh well. Oh and better yet my school even has a poster for the movie, which is coming out and my seventh grade class and some others might even go see the movie. But i am sooooooo going any way.
Oh I am sorry if I came across as nasty or something. I really didn’t mean to do that.
Thanks for your personal insight – it sounds like you really enjoyed this book, and it’s great to hear from a younger reader on how they feel about the age-appropriateness of this book. I hope you like the movie, too.
I think this book is okay for 6th grade readers, especially if they get the chance to talk about it either in class or with parents or even their friends. My son is a 6th grader and he read this book and really liked it. I only say that kids who might be easily frightened or might get upset with the subject matter might want to wait until they are a bit older to read it. It is pretty intense.
My son’s teacher lent him this book and, after glancing through it, I can readily see that it is not meant for the age-group that the publisher suggests (11-13). The degree of graphic violence/death/maiming and the social-mental despair are not something my 11-year-old should be immersing himself into. If the movie based on the book has a minimum PG-13 rating, that should alert everyone that this book is not meant for pre-teens in any fashion.
Thanks so much for taking the time to develop a site like this.
Too many times, we as parents assume a book is acceptable simply because an overwhelming number of our children’s peers are reading it. I learned early in my child’s reading life, that too many novels seem to have a trickle down effect; that is, they are marketed to and read by an age appropriate group (say teenagers) and as a book grows in populairty, the teenagers then hand the book to their younger siblings and before you know it, children are reading novel far too mature for their age. I value these kind of websites because they help me make an informed decision. Again, many thanks!
the hunger game series is the best series ever. i dont like reading and it took me 3 days to read all the books. i suggest you reading the hunger games series.
It’s a really good book I would suggest 10 and up. Some violence, and blood. Don’t get this book if you’re easily grossed out.