The Hunger Games

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Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.  New York: Scholastic, 2008.  Print.  ISBN: 0439023483.  $17.99. 387 pages.

Awards:

Publisher's Weekly Best Books of the Year 2008

California Young Reader Medal 2011

ALA Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults

New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2008

Kirkus Best Young Adult Book 2008

2008 Cybil Award – Fantasy and Science Fiction

School Library Journal Best Books of 2008

 

Annotation:  In Panem, every year twenty-four tributes are chosen to fight to death in an arena made by the dominating capitol and this year Katniss Everdeen will learn just how strong she really is by going into the arena with a mission of coming back out alive.  The Hunger Games is one of my favorite books this year and readers will love Katniss and her fighting personality.

Booktalk Technique: Wrap Back to the Title

What would it feel like to have your life determined by random drawing? War and famine have led the people of Panem to be divided into 12 districts.  Each year, one boy and one girl from each district are chosen at random from a drawing to take part in the Hunger Games. Imagine being forced to watch boys and girls battle to the death, leaving only one survivor. This year, 16 year old Katniss Everdeen is the female champion from District 12 and must compete for her life.  Can she survive The Hunger Games?

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The Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy about Katniss and Panem.  The other books in the series are Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

Read more about the series on Suzanne Collins website. 

Watch the book trailer

 

The film version of The Hunger Games was released in 2012 to great success. 

 Watch the film preview.

 

Stargirl

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Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. New York: A. Knopf, 2000. Print. ISBN: 0679986375. $17.99. 188 pages.

Awards:

Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book 2001

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2001

Michigan Library Association's Thumbs Up! Award 2001

Garden State Book Award (Teen Fiction Grades 6-8, 2003)

Iowa Teen Award Nominee 2002-2003

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2002-2003

South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee 2002-2003

Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee 2002-2003

 

Young Hoosier Book Award Winner 2002-2003

 

ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults 2005

 

Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Nominee 2006

 

Annotation: 

Stargirl isn't like everyone else, she marches to the beat of her own drum, but when the boy she loves tries to change her, she must decide what matters more to her: fitting in or being true to herself.  Reading Stargirl took me back to my awkard teen years and made me appreciate individuality once again. 

Booktalk style: Open End

What is it like to be different? Picture yourself as the new kid in a school where being popular means being like everyone else.  Picture yourself sticking out, but not even caring about popularity or fitting in.  Most of us draw back at the thought, but not Stargirl.  She is like Van Gogh’s white flower in a field of color.  She does kind things for strangers, strums her ukuele as she sings to classmates on their birthday, dances in the rain, and even cheers for the opposing teams during games. 

I am Leo, and Stargirl likes me.  I thought I valued her individuality, but when the school turns on her, I convince her to be more like everyone else.  I made her change because I wasn’t brave enough to love her like she loved me.  Now what will happen to my Stargirl?

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