It's the second weekend of May, and we have another great speculative fiction YA novel for our Weekend Pick! Our contributor this week is Ben Clements.
 Ben Clements | Ben Clements is a teacher at Capital City High School in Jefferson City, Missouri where he currently teaches junior English and Children’s & Young Adult Literature. He received his Bachelor’s in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English Language Arts from the University of Missouri and plans to pursue his masters in English Education from the university soon (MIZ!). He is a current member of the Overbooked book club at the university where he and his fellow members gather to read, analyze, and discuss YA literature and the implications of classroom integration. When Ben isn’t teaching or reading, he can be found listening to music (mostly Taylor Swift), watching the latest television shows and movies, and playing board games with his friends. Our many thanks to Mr. Clements for his heartfelt recommendation this month. |
The Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Set twenty-four years before The Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins tells the story of the second Quarter Quell. A Quarter Quell commemorates twenty-five years of the Games, and each one introduces an “exciting” twist to the rules. In this case, the number of tributes is doubled–from twenty-four to forty-eight competitors.
Fans of The Hunger Games finally get what they have been long asking for: a novel about Haymitch’s extraordinary Game, first described in Catching Fire. The book explores the origins of his cynicism and his connections to the Capitol while also examining themes of propaganda, grief, control, resistance, and love. This prequel follows The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which is set during the tenth Hunger Games with a focus on Coriolanus Snow before he was president of Panem (another great read!).
 | Suzanne Collins masterfully hooks her readers from the very beginning by revealing that Haymitch was not, in fact, reaped for the second Quarter Quell. Immediately, the question arises: how did he end up in the Games? I’ll leave that for you to discover, but it speaks volumes about the nature of the Capitol. When Haymitch is ultimately selected as a tribute, he is separated from Lenore Dove, the girl he loves. Yes, Collins borrows this name from Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven which carries symbolic weight – much like the recurring bird symbolism in the series, including the Mockingjay as well as the frequent inclusion of poetry such as “The Hanging Tree,” first introduced in Mockingjay and later given deeper context in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. |
While reading this novel, I was also teaching Animal Farm by George Orwell and noticed striking thematic parallels. Both works illustrate the manipulative power of propaganda wielded by oppressive governments. Although Collins has explored propaganda before (notably in Mockingjay) she delves even deeper into it here. I don’t usually analyze a novel through a teaching lens while reading, but this time I had to pause and reflect. I even began assembling a text set that currently includes Animal Farm, Sunrise on the Reaping, The Raven, Lord of the Flies, and The Crucible. One key difference, however, lies in the characters’ awareness: in Animal Farm, many remain oblivious to the manipulation, whereas in Sunrise on the Reaping, characters recognize it.
Haymitch becomes acutely aware that he is being used by the Capitol to promote a flawed, tactless, and discriminatory agenda. What can he do in response? Alongside other characters, he begins to embrace the idea of rebellion, finding small but meaningful ways to resist. These acts of defiance help lay the groundwork for the original series. However, as often is the case in any dystopian narrative, the government sees more than it reveals and Haymitch is subjected to punishment for his resistance– cruelty that I found deeply appalling.
| Sunrise on the Reaping may be one of the most emotionally devastating books I ever read, but I loved every minute and highly recommend it. This book left me heartbroken for Haymitch, for Lenore, for the tributes who didn’t survive, and even for Katniss who makes a brief appearance. It also rekindled my intense dislike for President Snow, which felt necessary after many fans (myself included) found him oddly sympathetic in the film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. As my colleague, Kayla, put it “Good literature makes you feel,” and this novel does exactly that – exceptionally well. |  Suzanne Collins |
Anyone who knows me knows what The Hunger Games means to me. As a reader reading this book for the first time, I fell in love with the speculative aspect that dystopian fiction offers and The Hunger Games exemplifies that power. Sunrise on the Reaping is no exception; it expands upon the already rich speculation of this dystopian world. While some critics may dismiss this novel as a fan service due to its “returning” characters (younger versions of those introduced in Catching Fire), I would argue–who cares? Seeing these characters in the early stages of the revolution they later bring to fruition in Mockingjay made the story feel even more complete and compelling. And honestly, who doesn’t want more time with their favorite characters? Now we just need more Finnick. To conclude, Sunrise on the Reaping is a phenomenal read that not only provokes thought but also weaves together existing storylines (even explaining why Haymitch was feeding geese in the end of Mockingjay). I’m especially excited for the upcoming film adaptation and look forward to continued discussion of this powerful addition to the series.
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