THE HUNGER GAMES

What series has me reading lately?  The Hunger Games!  Sra. Ruth & Sra. Pfeffer got me all into the series.  I read book 2 Catching Fire over the break; last week, I read book one and now I just have to read book 3 Mockingjay.

The series takes place in Panem, a country in the "former U.S." divided into 12 districts.  The country lives under a President, who to me seems more like a vicious dictator but they call him President Snow.  They have a reality show called the Hunger Games.  In the Hunger Games a boy and a girl are chosen from each district to compete against each other in a violent free for all.  Whomever wins gets to finally go home to a wealthy life.

It is during the Hunger Games that all this action happens!  The heroine, just trying to stay alive arouses the anger of the Capitol and they do everything to try to kill her but being the hero of our story, she survives the Games!  (I love Underdog stories!)  In book 2 she is made to go back and then, book three well...I'll have to find out!

During my reading I made many connections to our past unit and our discussions about the right to free speech - and really, all the rights we have under our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  In Panem, people are not allowed to hunt weapons and they go hungry because they cannot hunt for their food.  Even going out into the woods to hunt is considered against the law!  Also, the heroine, Catniss Everdeen and her friends are always having to think before they speak because they do not have the right to free speech.  In fact, in book one the reader is introduced to the Avox.  An Avox is someone considered to be a traitor to the Capitol and they have their tongue cut off!  Scary, isn't it?

Here's what is totally awesome about the series...ready???  THE MOVIE COMES OUT SOON!  YES!!!  March 2012 and here's the trailer!

I'm not too thrilled about books made into movies...last book I read and then watched the movie was Percy Jackson & The Lighting Thief and, well I thought the movie was disappointing!  Still, I so loved this book and its so action packed that I already cannot wait for the movie!

I'm wondering who will play Haymitch and how that will go off.  I'm also wondering how they'll portray Peeta's and Catniss' relationship.  They're not really supposed to know each other or interact before the Games.  Anyway, I'm going to get my hands on Mockingjay and finish reading the series soon.