Has your teen read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins yet? (If yes, scroll down to the third paragraph. If not, keep reading.) The first novel in the wonderful trilogy introduces the reader to a post-apocalyptic world where outlying districts are kept impoverished and under strict rule by the all-powerful Capitol of Panem. Collins’ take on dystopian society is thought-provoking and often distressing, but also superbly entertaining. It’s like 1984 meets Lord of the Flies with a sprinkle of Survivor fluff – in fact, we think they should have cast Jeff Probst as Effie Trinket in the upcoming movie. He could easily deliver “May the odds be ever in your favor!” with as much panache as he says, “Now I’ll go tally the votes.”
So if your kid hasn’t read The Hunger Games, then we strongly recommend that you encourage them to do so. For kids from about 12 and up, Katniss Everdeen and the plight of District 12 is a story that will get even the most reluctant readers riveted and engaged. Check out our Hunger Games gift basket if you want to really impress your teen! (Or frankly, your spouse. I first read The Hunger Games trilogy in Jamaica last winter, and my husband still wishes I hadn’t started it until we got home. Poor guy spent a LOT of time splashing around on his own while I had my nose buried in a book. New rule is I can only bring non-riveting novels on vacation. But I digress.)
If your teen HAS read The Hunger Games and loved it, then you may be casting around for some more novels along the same lines. Here’s a handful of books you may want to consider – some oldies, some new, some considered young adult, some not – but we think at least a few of them should intrigue anyone who enjoyed The Hunger Games. And if you can think of any more, please – comment below!!!
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry (grades 6+, pub. 1993). Thinking about how Jonas’s father was just fine with the role he played as Nurturer still gives me the shivers.
2. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (grades 9+, pub. 1955). Absolutely riveting. The Day of the Triffids by Wyndham is also great, but I chose The Chrysalids because it’s set in a post-apocalyptic Labrador (love those Canada sightings!) and I think the characters have more teen appeal.
3. 1984 by George Orwell (grades 9+, pub. 1950). As they read this classic about a totalitarian regime, watch as your teens clue in to why their favourite summer reality TV show is called Big Brother.
4. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (grades 11+, pub. 1985). To add insult to injury, if I lived in Atwood’s horrific Republic of Gilead, my name would be Oflogan.
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (grades 9+, pub. 1932). Still feels incredibly relevant 80 years later. And it is kind of sad-funny that there is still an ongoing movement to ban this book in certain school boards, given books are banned in the book…
6. Uglies by Scott Westerfield (grades 6+, pub. 2005). Only read this one recently, but I can totally see why this series would appeal to teen girls. Kind of like if Orwell wrote an episode of Gossip Girl…
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth (grades 9+, pub. 2011). Imagine if the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter put kids through massive initiations to get into a specific house.
8. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (grades 6+, pub. 2009). Every time the WICKED force was referenced, my mind flashed back to THRUSH and seeing reruns of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. as a kid. Darn all caps. (Great read, though!)
9. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (grades 9+, pub. 2005). Usually books about boarding schools made me wish I’d went to one as a kid. Not Hailsham, though!
10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (grades 9+, pub. 1953). Remind me not to let any firemen near our store’s inventory. Kidding. It’s not a long book, but it’s a great one – Bradbury’s prophetic story should hit home with thoughtful teens.
11. Unwind by Neil Shusterman (grades 7+, pub. 2007). In all honesty, we can’t really blame Connor for not wanting to have his organs removed.
12. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (grades 9+, pub. 1954). Reading this as a kid is probably the biggest reason I still make sure I wear my glasses instead of contacts when flying. Never know when you’ll need to start a fire, after all.
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