About the author Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy- nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/ ​ Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days. She currently lives in Connecticut with her family

What others are saying about the book… "I was so obsessed with this book I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading. The story kept me up for several nights in a row, because even after I was finished, I just lay in bed wide awake thinking about it...The Hunger Games is amazing." --Stephenie Meyer, "The Hunger Games is as close to perfect an adventure novel as I've ever read. I could not put it down. Collins has transformed the ancient Labyrinth myth into a terrifyingly believable tale of future America. Readers will be hungry for more. -Rick Riordan, author of The Percy Jackson Series and The 39 Clues

The Characters Katniss Everdeen Peeta Mellark Haymitch Abernathy Gale Hawthorne Primrose Everdeen President Coriolanus Snow

Katniss Everdeen 16 yrs old and narrator of the story She lives with her mother and younger sister Primrose in the poorest district of Panem, District 12, which is in charge of mining coal for the capitol. Her looks are typical for those from the Seam (the slums of District 12): long black hair, which she wears in a braid; olive skin; and gray eyes. Five years before the start of The Hunger Games,her father was killed in a mining explosion and her mother fell into a depression. In order to provide for her sister, Katniss began to hunt in the woods just as her father had taught her. In the process, she becomes friends with Gale Hawthorne

Peeta Mellark the male tribute from District 12. He is described as being "medium height with a stocky build,"having "ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead" and blue eyes. He is the town baker's son and is talented in baking breads and icing cakes, which proves to be an unexpected asset to him in the arena when he can camouflage himself effortlessly. His mother is a nasty woman, described as a “witch” by Katniss. She tells him that she has more faith in Katniss than in him. He has two brothers, neither of who care for him as much as Katniss cares for her little sister, Prim. His father, Mr. Mellark, is the town baker.

Haymitch Abernathy a "paunchy, middle-aged man" who was the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. Since winning made him independently wealthy, he has spent almost all of his intervening leisure intoxicated to the point of embarrassment. Being the only surviving Hunger Games champion from District 12 (there had only been two in history), Haymitch acts as a mentor for Peeta and Katniss before they enter the Games, as he has for every tribute in the twenty-five years since his own victory. He is often sarcastic and anything but sober, which Katniss finds highly irritating. However, when pushed, he emerges as the pair's greatest advocate and shows himself to be highly canny as he guides his protégés in a cleverly designed, highly unorthodox strategy aimed at ensuring the survival of both tributes.

Gale Hawthorne an 18-year-old who is Katniss's best friend and hunting partner. Like Katniss, he has black hair, olive skin, and gray eyes. His father died in the same explosion that killed Katniss's father. While hunting, the pair combined their respective talents, his at trapping and hers at archery, to become a highly effective team. Their success makes them fixtures at District 12's black market, the Hob, where they trade their illegal game for other valuable items. Gale has three siblings: Rory, Vick and Posy. Gale does not accept the authority of the Capitol and even suggests half-seriously that the two flee to escape selection for the Hunger Games. Gale is in love with and fiercely devoted to Katniss, although she doesn't know it at the time.

Primrose Everdeen Katniss's younger sister, who is called "Prim". Her face is described as "very pretty" and "as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named." Like her mother, she has blonde hair and blue eyes, causing her to be out of place in the Seam.

Themes in the novel