"Students love the new dynamic introduced as Collins approaches her latest novel from President Snow's point of view!”
Kayla Jones, East Hamilton High School
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins is the Hamilton Book of the Week nominated by East Hamilton High School. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon
from Amazon Readers
From Amazon.com:
“Both a tense, character-driven piece and a cautionary tale.... The twists and heartbreaks captivate despite tragic inevitabilities.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“A gripping mix of whipsaw plot twists and propulsive writing make this story's complex issues -- vulnerability and abuse, personal responsibility, and institutionalized power dynamics -- vivid and personal.” -- Publishers Weekly
To check out more recommended books in the Hamilton Book of theWeek at https://www.hcde.org/parents___students/suggested_reading.
Hamilton Book of the Week seeks to move Hamilton County Schools closer to district goals found in the Future Ready 2023 action plan. We hope to encourage kids to read more books for fun by sharing books popular at area schools.
Goals more students reading will address include:
- Reading improvement will increase the number of students on-track or mastering English language arts
- Improve the district ACT score to a district average of 21
- Reach the target goal of a 90 percent graduation rate by 2023