May-August 2025 – The Hunger Games Book Club with Ava (5-Part Series)

Join us and Hunger Games Superfan Ava for a five-part book club series! Meetings take place from May to August, 2025; full schedule is listed below. Come for all meetings or only those you want to attend! Registration is not required but is appreciated and anyone who signs up gets 15% off any book in the Hunger Games series at Black Cat Fables!

This book club will explore all five books in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, analyzing their themes, symbolism, characters, and cultural impact. Each meeting will focus on a different book, with guided discussion topics to encourage engagement and critical thinking. Our goal is to spark conversations between new readers and lifelong fans!

Meeting Schedule & Discussion Topics:

1st Meeting: The Hunger Games
Date: Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 from 4:00-5:00pm
Discussion Topics:
• Introduction to the series: hear from first-time readers.
• Katniss Everdeen as a protagonist: What makes her compelling?
• The Hunger Games as entertainment vs. oppression: What are the moral implications?
• Peeta vs. Gale: What do they represent in Katniss’s journey?

2nd Meeting: Catching Fire
Date: Saturday, May 24th, 2025 from 4:00-5:00pm
Discussion Topics:
• How does Katniss’s role in the rebellion evolve as tensions rise in Panem?
• Why is Katniss so reluctant to become a symbol for either the Capitol or the rebellion? What is driving her reluctance?
• How do the Quarter Quell and the Capitol’s political maneuvering shift the power dynamics in Panem?
• What does Katniss learn about her own role in the rebellion as she faces betrayal and manipulation?

3rd Meeting: Mockingjay
Date: Saturday, June 14th, 2025 from 4:00-5:00pm
Discussion Topics:
• How does Katniss grapple with the internal conflict between wanting to fight for justice and her aversion to violence?
• What does the cost of war reveal about the price of freedom and justice? How are both sides of the conflict affected?
• What is the turning point that forces Katniss to embrace her role as a symbol of the rebellion?
• How do Katniss’s relationships with Peeta, Gale, and Coin influence her decisions, and how do they represent different ideologies within the rebellion?

4th Meeting: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Date: Saturday, July 12th, 2025 from 4:00-5:00pm
Discussion Topics:
• How does Snow’s upbringing influence his actions and his view of power?
• Why is this book written in third-person, and how does this narrative choice affect our
understanding of Snow’s character?
• How do Sejanus and Dr. Gaul influence Snow in different ways, and how do these relationships shape his journey?
• What role does District 12 play in Snow’s development and his later hatred of the district?
• How does this prequel reframe our understanding of the Capitol and the Games?

5th Meeting: Sunrise on the Reaping
Date: Saturday, August 2nd, 2025 from 4:00-5:00pm
Discussion Topics:
• How is Haymitch’s character different from Katniss’s, despite both experiencing similar hardships?
• How does the Capitol use propaganda in the Games, and how does this reflect its control over Panem’s citizens?
• What role does the Covey play in District 12’s culture, and what does their music represent in the larger context of the story?
• How does Haymitch’s experience demonstrate the Capitol’s enduring power over even its victors?
• How do the events in this book challenge our previous understanding of the Games and the Capitol’s methods of control?