Annotated Reading List

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. 1st ed. Vol. 1. Scholastic, 2008. Print. The Hunger Games.

Collin's The Hunger Games takes place in a nation called Panem. The rich capitol controls all of the 12 districts. Each one specializes in producing a certain good to provide for the country. The districts are all poor mostly containing families with very little money and even starving children.
Katniss Everdeen and her family lost their father in a mining accident. Now, with her mother always feeling depressed, Katniss has to provide for the family, which includes her little sister, Prim. When the annual Hunger Games come around, Prim's name gets called to be the female competitor for District 12 in the games. These games are horrible! Children fight to the death while the whole event is broad casted all across the nation for the people to watch. Loving her sister too much, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place. Her male counterpart is a boy named Peeta. Katniss promises Prim that she will do everything possible to come home alive. Katniss won't let herself get too attached to Peeta, knowing that even if they were lucky, only one of them could come home alive. This changes dramatically when Peeta publicly announces his love for Katniss. Is this part of the strategy or does he really feel this way? Katniss can't decide. The two head into the arena and Katniss doesn't know what to think. All she knows is that she will do everything in her power to come home to Prim. I really enjoyed this book because it was unlike anything I have ever read before. The interesting setting and details of the book really kept me focused and addicted. (384 pages)



Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.

Huxley's Brave New World focuses on a society very different from our own. People are genetically engineered and then taught from birth to be exactly what society wants them to be. There are different class levels with different jobs and levels of intelligence. Bernard and his friend Helmholtz are different from everyone else. Instead of flying through life without meaning or deep thought, they question things and realize the restraints society has placed on them. When Bernard takes a visit to the Savage Reservation, he truly begins to understand his own society and the freedoms it lacks. John the Savage goes back to the Brave New World society with Bernard expecting it to be beyond wonderful and happy. Realizing the nonexistence of individuality there, John would love nothing more than to go back to his old life. Being friends with the savage, Bernard becomes very popular and slips into the way of life that he longed to be a part of in the past. Was Bernard truly different then if he merged into the way of life he had looked in upon for so long as soon as it became possible? Helmholtz was, however, truly different. Through his inability to fully express himself, he realized that society had these restraints over him. He was able to break these restraints even though they had been forced on him since before he was born. The author's writing style was very unique. Telling multiple stories all at the same time. It got a little confusing sometimes and I found myself wanting to just focus on one plot at a time! This book really opened my eyes to the intricate effects society can have on people. Society can't be completely stable and safe without giving up certain luxuries. Is it worth it? (268 pages)


Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. Vol. 2. Scholastic, 2009. Print. The Hunger Games.

Tossed back into the arena for another round of Hunger Games, Peeta and Katniss are in big trouble. In their first games, they defied the capitol by threatening to both kill themselves when they were the only two competitors remaining. This act didn't sit well with President Snow at all. He threatened to kill Katniss, her family, and her friends unless she could convince the citizens that she did it as an act of love for Peeta, not to defy the capitol. In the arena Katniss and Peeta team up with Finnick and Mags from District 4. Little do they know there is a huge plan in the works to destroy the arena and begin a huge rebellion against the capitol. This book makes me thankful for the great country I live in and all the freedoms I have. There is no evil capitol or President to control things. This was a fun read and great sequel to The Hunger Games. (391 pages)