Katniss and other former winners are rounded up to fight in the Hunger Games again as the totalitarian rule of the capitol squeezes its grip.
General Information:
- Age Range: 12 and up
- Price: $10.19
- Grade Level: 7 – 9
- Series: Hunger Games (Book 2)
- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Scholastic Press; Reprint edition (June 4, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0545586178
- ISBN-13: 978-0545586177
Plot:
The whole Suzanne Collins Trilogy is filled with challenged and controversially viewed books. Catching Fire is the second book in the trilogy and it picks up from where Katniss Everdeen left with her and Peeta Mellark living in the victors home. As victors they have to go on a tour of the districts speaking on behalf of the government in “anticipation” for the Quarter Quell which is a special Hunger Games that is held every 25 years. On their tour certain districts start holding up the salute Katniss give Rue in the first book causing riots, and clearly there is strong discontent in many of the districts. Also on the tour the economic disparity of the different districts and the Capitol is clear to see. The Quarter Quell also has a surprise as the government wants one male and one female winner from each district to perform in the Quell. All of these victors already had to go through the horror’s of the games where they are pitted to the death on live television against each other until there is one survivor left. In general the participants are always children though in this book they range from really young to very old in the games. At the end of the book the Quarter Quell ends with a surprise escape and a full blown rebellion against the government ensues.
Reading and Interest Level:
Catching Fire is marketed for grades 7-9 and ages 12-14. In reality the writing style suggest that those ages are correct, however I believe that this book due to its content will also appeal throughout high school so I would have the range be 8th-12th grade ages 13-18.
Evaluation:
Catching Fire is a well written book with clear messages within it. The central theme of the book is a dystopian world and a very anti-government message within the book. More than that however you see a young lady torn between two possible love interests, trying to stay alive herself, and trying to keep her family specifically Prim her 7 year old sister alive. There are issues of government brutality and economic disparity that are also touched upon. All of these issues are intertwined within the second book and shown in a creative way without it being “preachy”. Its value is the ability to actually show all of these messages but also by showing that yes you are a teen an you have your daily problems with love interests and getting through your day. But you can also be an activist for larger causes and you do not have to agree with the government on everything and you can make a difference. It is almost a case to let teens know that they can handle their personal lives and make a larger difference at the same time.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of this book is very varied due to the large number of issues presented within the book. Ironically the issue of children killing each other and the psychological impact of that is not one of those issues covered in great detail. It does however help with an example of how a teen can work through what may seem like trivial problems such as relationships with overbearing outside pressure on them. It also helps teens understand that they can have a voice in government and larger societal issues, and they can make a difference if they desire to (maybe don’t start a rebellion though).
Issues Present:
The issues present in this book when it comes to it being challenged are straightforward in nature from the main plot lines. Anti-government dissent, children killing other children/adults, “police” brutality, and graphic violence. All of these issues are common reasons for books to be challenged and Catching Fire has all of them front and center throughout the book which will be the cause of concern.
Defense of the book:
How can these concerns be countered/explained? Anti-government consent and “police” brutality shown within the books are real concerns in today’s america. This book is an example of how things can escalate without checks but it doesn’t necessarily promote anti-government sentiment. The graphic violence and children related violence is not shown in great detail in throughout the book with unnecessary details. The book is also oriented for older teens not 6th graders.
Book Talk Ideas:
The plot line I would follow as a reader would be scenes of anti-government dissent. Acts of rebellion throughout the book and what drove them to this point and how could the government have prevented it or allayed some of the problems. This can be viewed on pages 52-57,106-107,160-162,247-251, 385-391 to give some of the examples.
Genre:
The genre is Dystopian Fiction, could also be labelled as science fiction. The main theme is the struggle of Katniss in a futuristic dystopian world where children are forced to participate in fights to the death.
Similar Reads:
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Authors Website:
http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/
Awards won:
2009 – Goodreads Choice Awards Young Adult Series
2009 – Goodreads Choice Awards All-Time Favorite
Reviews:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/10/review-catching-fire-suzanne-collins
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-439-02349-8
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/catching-fire-the-hunger-games-book-2
Why I chose to read it?
I am a large fan of science fiction so when I read the summary of a gladiator style games in a futuristic dystopian society I was instantly interested. Also as this was the second book in the series some of my initial interest was to see the continuation of Katniss story as how does one just go back to a “normal” life after surviving those horrors. We find out that she doesn’t go back to a “normal” life and that was a huge point of interest for me. Also I had seen the movies and not read the book which is very unlike me as I almost always read the books before watching the films.
Librarianship 