Collins, Suzanne (1962-…), an American author, became famous for her “Hunger Games” trilogy for young adults. The trilogy consists of three related science-fiction books. They are The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010). The books have been praised for their exciting action and strong central characters. The trilogy was adapted into a popular series of motion pictures starring the American actress Jennifer Lawrence, beginning with The Hunger Games, released in 2012.
The books are set in the future after a series of disasters destroy North America. A country called Panem emerges. Panem consists of a wealthy Capitol that dominates 12 poor districts across the continent. Each year, the Capitol demands that the districts send a young male and a female, selected by lottery, to fight to the death on television. The government holds the brutal competition to demonstrate its power over the 12 districts. The books raise challenging questions about survival, government, politics, and the power of the media.
A 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen narrates the novels. She is a skilled hunter, trapper, gatherer, and archer. Katniss eventually leads a rebellion against the cruel government. Peeta Mellark is a 16-year-old boy from Katniss’s district who secretly loves her.
In 2020, Collins published a prequel to the “Hunger Games” trilogy. A prequel is a story that precedes a previously released book or film. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place 64 years before the first book of the trilogy. It tells the story of impoverished high-school student Coriolanus Snow, who years later becomes the evil president of the Capitol. Coriolanus and his classmates are tasked with mentoring (advising) the children sent to the Capitol to participate in the Hunger Games, and with making the games more interesting for the audience.
Collins began her writing career in 1991. She worked as a writer for such television shows as “Clarissa Explains It All,” “Little Bear,” and “Clifford’s Puppy Days.” Her first books for younger readers were a five-part series called “The Underland Chronicles.” These stories describe the adventures of Gregor, a boy who follows his 2-year-old sister down a hole into a strange world beneath New York City. The series began with Gregor the Overlander (2003). Collins also wrote the picture books When Charlie McButton Lost Power (2005) and Year of the Jungle (2013). Collins was born on Aug. 10, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut.
See also Hunger Games, The; Lawrence, Jennifer.
