As I’m sure most of you are well aware, I’m a fan of The Hunger Games. I loved both the book and its film adaptation. Here are my reviews for both:

Book to Film: The Hunger Games

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

So imagine my excitement when I opened my box from Scholastic yesterday and discovered this:

The World of the Hunger Games is a companion to both the book and film version

s of The Hunger Games. Here’s what you’ll find inside (please pardon the glare – a photographer, I am not):

The book is divided into sections focusing on different aspects of The Hunger Games. Many subjects are highlighted, including “Life in the Districts,” “Katniss Everdeen,” “Reaping Day,” and obviously, “The People of the Capitol.” Each section uses quotes from the book, the movie, and Suzanne Collins to bring attention to its subject matter.

The book organizes some of the more confusing aspects to the plot and politics of Panem into concise and easy-to-follow summaries.

There are also a ton of stills taken from the movie. Some are those we have seen before, and others, such as the ones above, are new images that focus on things we didn’t get a good look at in the film.

This book is not for people who want to avoid spoilers. Its intended audience has either seen the film, read the book, or both.

There’s also a handy glossary in the back, in case you needed to brush up on your Hunger Games terminology.

My Thoughts

The World of the Hunger Games is meant to be a companion to the book and movie (the movie in particular). It does not provide any great new insight into the story. You will not learn what happened between Peeta and the girl in the woods, you will not become an expert in the history of the war between the Capitol and the Districts, and you will not discover why people in the Capitol decided it’s cool to look so garish. This is not The Silmarillion, and it’s not supposed to be.

What it does do, and does well, is explain the elements of the story simply and understandably. I think it would be especially helpful for people who saw the film but have not read the books. It explains the origins of The Hunger Games, the basics of the political system, the roles of the Districts, and gives a brief profile of all the major players.

I read a lot of comments from people who saw the movie and still couldn’t figure out why the people in the Districts wanted to watch the Games, and why they didn’t fight back. This book helps people who didn’t fully understand all the elements of the story figure out what was going on.

Even if you are a veritable font of information on all things Hunger Games, this is still a fun book to have. I feel I have a pretty solid grasp on the inner workings of Panem, but I still liked reading the summaries. It’s nice to have everything in one place, since all the background information in The Hunger Games is delivered by Katniss in bits and pieces scattered throughout the story.

Plus, the pictures are awesome. My photography doesn’t do them justice. All the main characters are featured in at least a couple of photos: Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, President Snow, Seneca Crane, Cinna, Cato, Rue. I love looking at movie stills, and these are not the same ones that have been plastered all over the Internet for months. They’re printed full-page and glossy and gorgeous.

So for what some wish it was — an in-depth guide to the Games and Panem loaded with new information — it falls short.

For what it is — a fun companion book breaking down the intricacies of Panem and The Hunger Games into an easy-to-follow, beautifully illustrated guide — it’s perfect.

And now…

It’s GIVEAWAY TIME!

As promised, to celebrate my first month in the blogosphere, I’ve decided to host my first-ever giveaway today! Hooray!

So, as much as I loved paging through The World of the Hunger Games, I know myself. I will look through it once, put it proudly on my shelf next to my boxed set of The Hunger Games, and probably never look at it again. And since I’ve already read it cover-to-cover, I’m going to give it to one lucky follower!

But wait! There’s more!

The winner will also receive this:

I’m throwing in the Paperback Movie Tie-in Edition of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! There is the same novel we all know and love, but with new cover art that matches the movie poster.

Since I’ve already reviewed The Hunger Games and you can see the cover art right there, I won’t write a separate review for this edition of the book. But I will point out that if you’re like me and have The Hunger Games in hardcover, this edition is smaller and lighter. Great for road trips or sticking in your purse for “emergencies.”

Add them to your Hunger Games collection, or give them to a friend who has yet to experience the Games! I think it would make an especially great prize/gift to someone who has seen the film and not read the books.

Here’s the details:

• Books were provided by Scholastic for the purposes of review. I am giving them away after writing this post because, much as I love them, a girl only needs so many copies of the same book!
• Giveaway will run from 12:01 a.m. on April 26 until 12:01 a.m. on May 4.
• Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of the end of the contest. Once notified, winner will have 48 hours to respond with their address before a new winner is chosen.
• You must be a follower to enter, and can enter every day.
• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• U.S. entries only, please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for making my first month a great one, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

(Sorry, sorry, but it’s a Hunger Games giveaway. You know I had to say it.)