By Sophie Licostie ’19, Staff Writer

Ask any sixth, seventh, or eighth grader in our school, and if the odds are in their favor, chances are they’ve heard of the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins. They probably have it on their top favorite book or movie list. Some kids have read the book, some have seen the movie, and some both, but all enjoy the original characters and plot.

Any book about a female heroine that attracts boys of all ages has to be special. Suzanne Collins manages to create a fascinating array of characters and put them all in a dismal dystopia. From her drunken Haymitch Abernathy to the clever Foxface, all of the characters add a new layer to the story, making it hard to pick a favorite.

The twisting and ever changing plot also adds many different new angles. The first book had an ending that made the next book unpredictable, but Suzanne Collins managed to pull it off so well, many people think it was even better than the first. The third book took the story to yet another level, coming from an especially emotional Hunger Games and turning into an unexpected full-scale rebellion.

Because of the many layers in this trilogy, there are so many different reasons why people enjoy this series. Mrs. Sparacino, a 6^th grade Humanities teacher, was very eager to share her opinions on it. “Catching Fire was my favorite book in the series because there are so many good places for meaningful discussion. For example: If uprisings require people to break the laws of a society, then what does precondition reveal about the nature of change in societies?  How does the Capitol’s definition of beauty help or hinder social change? When if ever, should a person be willing to put their life or personal safety on the line for an idea?  I could go on for hours….” This is a more educational look at the series, and most students enjoy it for other reasons.

Melisa Yaman, a grade 6 student, says her favorite book was number one. She told me, “I liked it because it was sort of an original idea. The second book was pretty much the same idea.” She also commented on her favorite characters. “I really like Prim and Finnick. I like Prim because Katniss describes her as being afraid of her own shadow, but when someone is hurt or anything, she always stays behind and helps. It’s really cool. I just really like Finnick. He’s got a really strong character, he’s very helpful…” Her statement gives a new, more personal, point of view to look at the book from. It also gives an example of how well Suzanne Collins developed her characters and how they are all seamlessly blended into the story.

Because of its original plot, it easily comes up in conversations and quickly spreads from person to person. A sixth grade boy shared how he heard of this fascinating series with me. “My fourth grade teacher had recommended it to me in fourth grade, but I didn’t really want to read it because I was so into the Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan, but then one girl read it when I was in fifth grade and she really liked it. One by one, we [his fifth grade class] all started reading it, since we were all book nuts.”

So whether you’ve read the book or seen the movie, put the odds in someone else’s favor and spread the word to let others enjoy this spellbinding series. In the end, whether you like the trilogy or not, anyone who has read this story will come away with a new take on female heroines.