Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed by Lori
Catching Fire
Title: Catching Fire

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy

Author:  Suzanne Collins

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 36682

Description:  By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.

Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It!


Why I Read It: I enjoyed the Hunger Games so much I immediately picked up this novel to read next.

Lori's Notes:  As a special 75th Hunger Games approaches, the districts are showing signs of rebellion and President Snow wants to maintain his oligarchy.   This year the combatants in the Hunger Games will be chosen from previous winners putting Peeta and Katniss in jeopardy once again.  They must find a way to outwit the games and escape from the Capitol once and for all.  But we also see Katniss winning over citizens of the Capitol - who see Katniss and Peeta as courageous and darling.  Even Effie Trinket is beginning to show signs of compassion toward Peeta and Katniss.  Once again, Peeta thinks only of Katniss and her safety but Katniss refuses to allow Haymitch to help her this time insisting he use all of his resources to save Peeta.  Katniss doesn't care about the Capitol, the districts, or the games she just wants her family to be safe and for Peeta to survive.  However, Katniss has become an important asset to the resistance and her survival is now more important than ever.   Little as she wants it, Katniss has become a symbol for rebellion as each of the districts "catch fire."

Recommended Readers: Grade 9 and Up.

Themes: Dystopian, Reality Television, Oppression, Compassion, Freedom, Burgeoning Love, Safety, Intelligence, Friendship, Loyalty, Survival, Power.

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Catching Fire (2013)
Music: Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
Music: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keyes
Web and Image Search: Fashion in the Hunger Games
Website: http://capitolcouture.pn

Post Reading Questions and Activities:

  • What does the Capitol hope to achieve by selecting participants for the 75th Hunger Games from previous winners?  Does this plan work?
  • How does Katniss choose who she allies with for the games?  Why do you think she chooses these particular people?
  • What do you think of Katniss and Peeta's relationship?  
  • Fashion plays a large role for citizens of the Capitol.  How do Cinna's costumes in the Hunger Games and Catching Fire attract attention.  (Discuss both positive and negative aspects)
  • Design and Create a parade outfit for one of the districts (Male or Female) or a costume that would suit a citizen of the Capitol.  (Don't forget about hairstyles, Jewelry, and makeup).  Host a Fashion Show.

Other Titles in The Hunger Games Series:
Book 2: Catching Fire
Book 3: Mockingjay

Other Titles by Suzanne Collins: 



Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for Reading!

Popular posts from this blog

The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title: The Poet's Dog Author: Patricia MacLachlan Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 127678 Description:   An abandoned dog, able to speak only to poets and children, rescues a pair of young children stranded in the forest. Together, they find a way to overcome their losses. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It Why I Read It: Poetry and Dogs... what more can I say.  Notes: This is one of those novels that I absolutely love.  It is written for a younger audience but there are deeper aspects to the story that are very appealing to an adult reader.   The story is encapsulated within 88 pages, and spells out the story of Teddy, the poet's dog, whose master has passed away, and Flora and Nickel, two children he finds lost in a blizzard.   The children are left in a car by their mother as she goes to look for help after getting stuck in the snow.  The children get scared and leave the vehicle and get lost in the woods where they are found by Teddy who brings them home.  Flo
Read more

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title: Brain Jack Author: Brian Falkner Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 128664 Description:   In a near-future New York City, computer genius Sam Wilson manages to hack into the AT&T network and sets off a chain of events that have a profound effect on human activity throughout the world. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read It: Interesting write up in the catalogue and a growing interest in tech-related reading. Notes: Sam is a seventeen-year-old Hacker, one of the best around.  So good that he is able to hack into the telecomerica head offices and order a couple of "neuro" headsets for himself and his friend Fargas.  The latest technology that allows you to directly access the computer network using only your brain.  But Sam's hacking brings down services for three days - something that will go down in history.  That's when the CDD (the cyber defence division) start watching him.  It's not long before they hack Sam back and he's arrested.
Read more

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title:  All the Light We Cannot See Author: Anthony Doerr Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 98669 Description:  A blind French girl on the run from the German occupation and a German orphan-turned-Resistance tracker struggle with their respective beliefs after a fortuitous meeting on the Brittany coast. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read it: This book has been on my reading list for awhile and it was recommended to me by several people. Lori's Notes: This was a fantastic novel.  It may seem overwhelming in terms of size but the individual chapters are very short and read almost like mini short stories within the book.  The characters alternate between Marie-Laure a blind Parisian girl, and Werner an orphan German boy. Marie-Laure's father, Daniel LeBlanc, works in a Paris Museum as a key master and designs intricate puzzle boxes for his daughter.  Werner lives in a children's home with his sister Jutta and because of his interest in radios is quickly recruit
Read more