#137: The Hunger Games

I read The Hunger Games years ago, before it was a phenomenon, after the fabulous librarian at my school, Kim, book talked it to my kids. It is easily one of the most engaging Young Adult novels I have ever read; I know a book is memorable when I have distinct memories of my reading experience. When I read The Hunger Games I would stay up much later than intended, unable to put the book down with Collins' cliffhanger chapter endings. When the book ended and I learned there was to be a sequel I was thrilled. The wait to Catching Fire was tough; the wait for Mockingjay was excruciating. In fact, the day Mockingjay was released I was vacationing in Hilton Head, South Carolina. I left the timeshare to drive to the nearest bookstore to make sure that I had my copy as soon as I could, and read most of it on the beach that week.

I'm thankful for this trilogy personally, because it provided me with so much entertainment. Professionally, it's a series I know I can rely on to put in kids' hands, and they are usually just as hooked as I was. Today my team took our kids to see the movie, and it's just another added reason why I appreciate this franchise. Many kids were excited to read it, and I think a lot of adults are reading it because of the movie, as well. The more well-read of a society we are, the better.

I am also thankful Josh Hutcherson looks like a ten-year-younger version of Kegan. I didn't exactly notice this until the end of the movie, and then my friend and coworker Jackie confirmed it. I might need to go see the movie a 3rd time...