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The Hunger Games: #CatchingFire Chocolate #ticktock

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I returned from a very fun, very positive, very easy weekend at #KidLitCon13 (at which apparently all my good adverbs were replaced with lame ones like “very”) to find a very cool package addressed to me:

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My 15-year-old daughter thought that it was very VERY cool.

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I guess because we are doing a Catching Fire movie tie-in book giveaway (enter the giveaway), and I attended the tribute tour press conference last week (follow the link for more), my odds with Lionsgate are ever in my favor. I didn’t ask for the artisanal chocolates from Vosages Wild Ophelia that commemorate The Hunger Games Catching Fire, but it is pretty cool. There are 12 bars of chocolate, and they each represent a district.

I picked a random number, and we tried district 7’s chipolte chili. It had quite a kick at the end, but the chocolate was creamy and delicious. Can’t wait to try more.

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The Hunger Games Library includes 12 2oz bars:

  • DISTRICT 12 – Mining:
    mined salt + 41% cacao milk chocolate
  • DISTRICT 11 – Agriculture:
    harvest cherry + 70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 10 – Livestock:
    beef jerky + smoked mesquite + 41% cacao milk chocolate
  • DISTRICT 9 – Grain:
    milled oats + vanilla hemp seeds + 70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 8 – Textiles:
    caramelized crispy rice +70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 7 – Lumber:
    smoked chipotle chili + 41% cacao milk chocolate
  • DISTRICT 6 – Transportation:
    crunchy runner peanuts in peanut butter + 41% cacao milk chocolate
  • DISTRICT 5 – Power:
    crispy crunchy caramel corn +70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 4 – Fishing:
    sea salt + coconut + 70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 3 – Technology:
    arabica coffee + crystal salt + 70% cacao dark chocolate
  • DISTRICT 2 – Masonry:
    caramel + pecan + 41% cacao milk chocolate
  • DISTRICT 1 – Luxury:
    rare harvest cashews + 41% cacao milk chocolate

At $65, the set is pricey, but my teen thought it was so awesome (she said it was the “coolest thing I’ve ever been sent,” which I think is a stretch), that if you are looking to enhance your fan’s Catching Fire experience, you might consider gifting it.

Let’s dish. Leave a comment and tell me: Which bar would you like to try? Which bar would you avoid? My answers are in the first comment below.

On Reading: The Hunger Games — When a Book Becomes a Phenomenon

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At 13 ½, my daughter Amanda is a bit too young to have been caught up in the Harry Potter books and movies as they were being released (though they are among her favorite books). As for Twilight, neither she nor I had read the books when the movies started coming out (though she finally gave in and read them), but we’ve truly experienced the entire Hunger Games hype from the very beginning, reading the first book before the others came out, and awaiting the release-dates of Catching Fire (even getting to read an Advanced Copy) and Mockingjay, and seeing Suzanne Collins herself do a Mockingjay reading.

I was truly as excited about the Hunger Games movie as I’ve been about almost any that I can recall. And Amanda definitely has been the epitome of a crazed teen (though she wasn’t allowed to attend the midnight showing, so maybe not quite). She’s militantly defended these books that she loves. She feels that those who have been reading the book in 2012 in anticipation of the movie are posers, and though she has two good friends who want to see the movie, she wouldn’t make plans with them until after she sees it since they hadn’t read the book.

And like Hogwarts, there will be people who are only acquainted with Panem through the movies. They can like it, and they can discuss it in regards to what it says about popular culture. They can still appreciate the strong female lead of Katniss, and they can swoon over Peeta and Gale (though they weren’t given much to swoon over in this first movie).

I’ve expressed some of my disappointment with the movie in our Hunger Games movie discussion post. But all in all — I liked it. I am very tolerant with book to screen adaptations, in general, but remember how I said that the movie might be even better than the book? It’s not. I think it’s a great complement to the book, but if you only see the movie, you will miss a lot.

Dawn wrote an impassioned response to the shortcomings of the movie at her blog, and summarized it as “fast food.” I agree completely, but unlike Dawn who worries that movie-goers aren’t getting the whole truth, I feel little concern for those who choose not to read the books. The books have been insanely popular — on amazon’s top 100 practically continuously since Catching Fire came out (and in the top 10 or 20 for much of that time, especially in the last few months). I think that the movie will definitely keep the books in the spotlight, and with the way the movie ended, I hope people will read Catching Fire (I know that I grabbed my copy as soon as I got home), and I hope that they’ll experience the inner dialogue of Katniss via the first-person telling in the book.

After thinking for a couple of days since I saw it on Friday morning, I think that I’ve figured out the biggest problem: this is just part one.

Those of us who have read the whole series have that in our my mind. It’s hard to know where one ends I’m re-reading Catching Fire now, and the real crux of the love triangle — the biggest felt omission in the movie — doesn’t really come out fully until that installment. Yes, we knew more in book one about Katniss’ conflict over Gale than was indicated on screen, but it all really fleshed out in the second installment. Going right to Catching Fire has helped me feel a little better about what was shown or not shown in this first installment.

But I’m going to accept that it’s now a movie, and there will be people who only know the movie, and people who jump on the bandwagon and don’t fully appreciate either the books or the movie, and I’m going to live with that. When a book becomes a phenomenon, we are given more to love, but also more to nitpick, and let’s not even talk about the Movie Tie-in Edition, which slaps a new cover on the same old pages. In this case, it’s not so bad, but in some cases the book barely resembles the movie.

I was a fan from the beginning, but the hype has reminded me why. Seeing the movie has rekindled my interest, and honestly going back the second time to re-read has forced me to think a lot more about the content and the themes. I have to admit that one reason I was one of the people disappointed with Mockingjay is because I was reading for plot (as in “What’s going to happen to Katniss?” and “Gale or Peeta?”).

I’m still in the midst of the hype and the hoopla and can’t wait to hear Amanda’s thoughts after she sees it with her friends this afternoon. I’ll be counting down the days until the projected Thanksgiving 2013 release of Catching Fire, but until then I’ll satisfy my hunger with the books. And that’s no consolation prize.

Have you seen the movie? Please join in our thread: Let’s Discuss the Hunger Games Movie HERE.

If you want to read Dawn’s reviews of all the books, and all of our latest posts including my interview with the producer, you can just type “Hunger Games” into the search bar at the top of the right sidebar, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Let’s Discuss the Hunger Games Movie HERE!

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Oh yes — the world is watching.

Whether you went to a midnight screening (there were SEVEN at my theater), or — like me — a Friday morning show, or if you have plans to go later this weekend, or even next week, I thought it would be fun to have a little movie discussion right here in the comments, because I have a feeling we are going to want to talk about it!

I might write up an official review, but I probably won’t. If you do have questions about something content-wise, if you leave me a comment on the interview with the producer Nina Jacobson, I’ll answer it there (or email you).

If you haven’t seen the movie, I’d recommend you stay away from the comments. It’s a place where we can share our thoughts. Anything is fair game.

Some suggestions:

  1. What were your overall impressions — as a movie and as a book adaptation?
  2. What was your favorite moment?
  3. Was there something that disappointed you — either from an adaptation standpoint, or something that was unsettling to see?
  4. Which character did you like best? Was this different from the book?

I’m hoping we’ll be able to have a real conversation in the comments. If you use the reply button on the comment to which you are replying, we can keep the thread somewhat orderly.

If you have a question about something, you could ask it and people can answer right within the thread.

I predicted that as an experience, I might actually like it more than the book, but we’ll see if that’s actually true.

Hunger Games producer Nina Jacobson on differences between the book and the movie

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I warned you that this was NOT going to be a “Hunger Games” free zone. We are hungry for this movie here at 5 Minutes for Books (pun unabashedly intended!). When I was given the opportunity to interview the producer Nina Jacobson, who worked with author Suzanne Collins to bring the movie to the screen, I jumped at the chance!

Over at 5 Minutes for Mom, I shared a lot more of my discussion with a look behind the scenes of the Hunger Games movie, so please check it out as well.

How is the movie different from the book?

In my re-read of the Hunger Games book, it was obvious how completely internal the novel was. It’s all Katniss. We know her motivation, we know her perception of what is happening and her interpretation of why, but according to producer Nina Jacobson, in the movie we are able to see more of why the Game Makers do what they do, how the people are responding to it (which will help the overall theme of the trilogy make more sense, I think), and also Haymitch’s role is expanded (shown below, center).

Also, one notable difference that pained booklover Nina Jacobson was the inability to feature all of the stylists. The relationship with Cinna (seen above, left) is critical, and they had to devote the time and attention to that. Jacobson is hoping to be able to include the other stylists on future projects.

“I couldn’t imagine NOT making it as a movie,” Nina Jacobson, on the Hunger Games

It was apparent that Jacobson loved this story and she told us that she felt protective of it. She knew that it could be made into a great movie, and it could also go wrong in many ways. She and Suzanne Collins met personally with many studios and decided that Lionsgate had the same commitment to making a great movie that they both did.

One of the major plot differences that a booklover will notice is that it is Prim who gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin, not her friend Madge. You can tell that Jacobson understood the importance of staying true to the book, because she said that they featured this in the earliest TV spots. I didn’t even notice it, but I love that it was so important to sort of “warn” the purists about this.

There are only so many relationships that a movie can show, and like with the stylists, it was the closeness between sisters that had to be established in that short time before Katniss left for the games, and this was one way they could keep that relationship in the forefront.

“Suzanne was very open to the changes,” Jacobson told us. Collins actually has a background in television writing, so she probably understands well the difference between telling a story visually and within a book.

Is the movie going to be better than the book?

I actually think it might be. One of the interviewers on the call had seen the movie, and mentioned the incredible use of sound. You can’t get that a book.

Also, look at Effie (top), and even the costumes of Cinna, Haymitch, and Peeta. Yes, we can read about the costumes, but seeing the over-the-top opulence and decadence of those in the Capital and hearing their affected speech will be an entirely different experience. Aside: my daughter Amanda has already said that the dress Katniss wears for the interviews isn’t as fabulous as it’s supposed to be — and I think you can’t live up to the image that you might have in your mind of the “the girl who was on fire,” so I have to agree on that one.

I’m also glad that we are going to get to see what is going on behind the scenes while Katniss is at the Games.

What about the violence?. Check out my post at 5 Minutes for Mom for the producer’s thoughts on that.

I absolutely can’t wait.

Catching Fire?

And of course, the question that everyone has, is what’s next? Well, they are already working on the script for Catching Fire, looking towards a Thanksgiving 2013 release.

On Reading: Reading Hunger Games Again, for the First Time

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Are you looking for a Hunger Games-free zone? Well, this ain’t it!!

Last week, Dawn wrote Making Myself Slow Down, specifically about her own re-read of the book in anticipation of the movie. This week it’s my turn to share about my re-read in preparation of the movie‘s release.

We’re hoping to have the opportunity to interview the producer this week — and then come Friday, March 23, it’s on. On Thursday night, March 22, I’m going to open up a post where we can discuss the movie in the comments section freely once we see it, so I hope you’ll join us.

And now — back to me — sharing my thoughts on reading Hunger Games again, for the first time.

Do you spot a contradiction? To read a book again — for the first time? Is it possible?

Yes, I think so, and my recent re-read of The Hunger Games book was a “first” for me for a few main reasons:

  • This is actually my first time to “read” the book — words on a page — because I listened to The Hunger Games audiobook the first time. I think that there’s a different level of attention and focus when my eyes are trained on a page.
  • I’m a little old, and it’s been 3 years since I read it, so I had forgotten a lot of the details, even amidst all the hype.
  • When you read with the end in mind, a series is different. The first time I read the book, I was just reading a book. The second and third books didn’t even exist. I didn’t even know that there were going to be other books. I was simply caught up in this tragic world that Suzanne Collins created.

It’s the last bit that made this reading such a delightful rediscovery. Things that happen later in the trilogy underscored some of the things that I probably glossed over the first time. I was able to evaluate Peeta’s, and Gale’s, and even Katniss’ motives in a different light.

I don’t spend much time re-reading these days. It’s extremely rare for me since there are so many new books awaiting my attention, but I’m glad that I took the time to read The Hunger Games book, and I can’t wait to watch the movie.

Jennifer Donovan is a little bit proud of her prediction about the Hunger Games being the next Harry Potter or Twilight phenomena, which she first wrote in March 2009 on her blog Snapshot.

The Girl Who Was on Fire, Hunger Games movie edition (with Giveaway)

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Four out of the ten books on the Amazon Best Sellers list are Hunger Games books. The original book has been in the top 100 for 500 days. I assume it dropped off at some point, but the 2nd and 3rd in the series have been on for around 800 and 700 respectively, which is probably for their entire lifetime in print. Rounding out the list is The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set.

I would imagine that everyone out there has heard of The Hunger Games, in some fashion. At least “I sure hear a lot about this, but I don’t know what it is.” You might know that the Hunger Games movie releases March 23. You might not know that it’s a wildly popular Young Adult series by Suzanne Collins, that has fans from tweens up through adults. You might not know that it’s dystopian literature. If you don’t know any of this, I’d suggest you brush up, because I think that this movie and these books are going to continue down their path of wild success, and you don’t want to be the last one in the know.

Keep reading my review at 5 Minutes for Mom, where you can enter to win a copy….

Hunger Games Book and Movie Poster giveaway

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A little while ago I was sent an email which asked if I’d be interested in helping to promote the Hunger Games movie. Since I enjoyed the series, and the Hunger Games book is one of Dawn’s 5-Star reads, and my 13-year-old daughter counts them as her very favorite books ever and is counting down the days until the March 23 release of the movie — my answer was a very quick YES.

And now it’s time for a little giveaway!

One of you will win a movie poster AND we also have a copy of the book for you.

If you haven’t seen what all the fuss is about, now is the time! Or if you love the book, but have never owned it, you’re in luck. Or perhaps you’re like my daughter, who is now making sure that all of her friends have read the book before the movie comes out — an extra copy would come in handy for that.

Which of the above categories do you fall in? Are you looking forward to the movie? Leave a comment now, and you could win (U.S. addresses only). The giveaway is closed.

We’ll announce the winner on January 4.

Don’t miss a thing: Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed or video reviews on YouTube. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

The Hunger Games

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If you have a teenager in your life who likes reading current works of fiction, chances are that you’ve heard of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. After its publication last fall, it quickly became the talked about young adult novel all over the literary media. Like other well-known novels that have come before, this book presents us with a postapocalyptic world and focuses its attention on the life of a young woman struggling to help her family survive. The intensity of this story comes when the central character is sent off to ‘The Hunger Games,’ the nation of Panem’s (what we know as North America) yearly competition pitting youths from each of the twelve districts in a fight for survival, with only one winner allowed. Without giving away too much of the plot, I can safely say that there are remnants of Gladiator arena competitions, tinged with reality television style spectatorship, all under the ever powerful hand of the Capitol.

This book sucked me in from the opening lines, and my heart pounded uncomfortably throughout the entire thing. To write a synopsis of the story doesn’t come close to doing the piece justice– the plot taken alone initially sounded silly and unbelievable to me, but as the characters were developed, it becomes frighteningly possible. This is not my usual go-to literary genre, and I admit to not having much experience with Young Adult fiction since the time I could still claim that identity. But, I was captivated by this story, and the voice of the protagonist gives the reader a front and center perspective, making me feel as if I were by her side as she navigated this horrific adventure. This book left me contemplating the paths that Power can take and what that does to the basic tenets of humanity.

I adored the main character Katniss. All the typical teenage character traits are there, yet they’re more often than not overshadowed by the burdens of trying to survive, both before and during the Hunger Games. She is beautifully created and her voice rings so straightforward in this novel. Violence and terror are central to the story’s plot, but the depictions remain appropriate for a middle to older teenage audience’s level.

In my book club, the idea was debated that this is the type of book that is more likely to be enjoyed by teenagers than adults… perhaps I’m just young at heart, because I was thoroughly engaged. While I didn’t know from the onset that this book was the first of an intended trilogy, as I neared the end I became curious about how the story would wrap up. I am seriously waiting with bated breath for the next installment, Catching Fire, due to be released this fall.

We are pleased to add this book to our list of 5 Star Reads.

Dawn reads anything she can get her hands on- including the bottom of a tissue box in a pinch. Her blog, my thoughts exactly, is a hodgepodge of cute kid stories, rantings, and senseless blather.

5 Reasons to Give Books This Holiday Season {Friday’s Five}

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‘Tis the season again to exchange gifts with loved ones, and if you’re anything like me, you’re in the middle of making lists of items purchased and ideas for gifts not yet secured. As you make those lists, and check them way more than two times, I’m here to not-so-subtly suggest that you be sure to include the wonderful gifts of books, of course! Maybe you’re shopping for excited young children, too-cool-for-school teens, a special significant other, or that wacky aunt who will be the highlight of your family’s holiday meal. It doesn’t matter who is on your list, I’m confident that you can’t go wrong with a book, and here are five reasons, completely made up by me.

1. Entertaining AND educational is a win-win. Just think, the kids will likely be out of school for upwards of a couple weeks, and what’s better to add to their gift pile than a book (or five) that will keep them thinking, building language skills, and maybe even quiet for more than five darn minutes? Now, don’t groan at the word educational. That, in no way, means it has to be boring, or even appear educational. I’m all for the argument that any reading is good for your brain. Who says that wrapped book can’t be something super fun like Big Nate or Calvin & Hobbes? Nonfiction is an excellent choice for the overtly educational book gift, and something like the Smithsonian Discover and Young Explorers series (with giveaway right now!) is super engaging. Whatever their interest, there are books to fit the bill.

2. Ready to go as soon as the wrapping paper is off. No batteries required. No complicated set-up manual in a dozen languages. No indestructible plastic packaging to break through, and not even one twist tie wrapped around seventy-five times that needs to be removed. [insert sigh of relief here] Simply unwrap, maybe turn over to read the description on the back, and open the front cover– your gift is ready to be used.

3. Blockbuster adaptations are everywhere, but your motive can stay secret while you just look like the cool gift-giver. Hollywood and the bookstore have been colliding like crazy lately, and movie adaptations might be some folks’ introduction to a story. Got a teen who loved seeing Katniss on the big screen? Drop a box set of The Hunger Games trilogy in his stocking! Or maybe the excitement is high for the next film to be released, so why wait when the whole Divergent series can be read over break? Maybe you and a friend saw it in the theater, so a gift of the novel This is Where I Leave You would be perfect for your Secret Santa exchange. I can’t be the only one troubled by the fact that so many people come to incredible stories like these only through the movies, right? This year, give the gift of original source material!

4. Shop from your couch in your mismatched pajamas, and do some good via social media. I have not willingly and happily gone to a shopping mall for at least two decades. Sure, I’ve gone a few times out of necessity, but I did not enjoy any bit of the experience. The crowds, the noise, the parking challenges, the need to put on real pants. All of those problems are alleviated when I shop online from my couch. (Oh, how I adore pajama pants.) Whether you’re a fan of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, or whatever other options out there, you don’t have to leave your wi-fi enabled home to shop, and they’re open 24 hours a day. Before you get ready to checkout, you also have the luxury of countless online resources to help you decide which books to match up with which gift recipients. Just look for gift guides that focus on particular interests and age groups, or consult the wide variety of high quality book review blogs out there and you’ve got access to tons of expert advice. (Yup, you heard me call ourselves ‘experts’. We’re awesome like that!) Don’t forget about authors’ and illustrators’ own websites as another resource, and my personal favorite of all– social media. Hop on Facebook to ask your own panel of connections for book recommendations and your cart will be full in no time. Oh, and while you’re on your preferred social media outlet, be sure to share that you’re giving the gift of books and connect with Chronicle Books as part of their #GiveBooks campaign to also get books in the hands of children who need them!

5. It’s more than a one-time gift. It could be the catalyst for a lifelong passion.SONY DSC Now we’re talking about the loftiest and most respectable reason of all. Think long-term with this one. Maybe the people to whom you give books aren’t huge reading fans now, but they could become fans. Maybe you’ll give them books that reach them in just the right way at just the right time. Maybe the book you give that toddler will become the one she loves to both chew on and gaze at in her crib. The book you hand the sometimes surly teen could be the one that gets him out of his funk… for a little while. Maybe your friend will see herself in the novel you wrap up for her, and she’ll feel understood. And even those folks who could already be classified as book hoarders are always going to light up at the prospect of another to add to their piles.

Books = wonderful gifts, plain and simple. Do you need any more reasons?

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The Scavengers by Michael Perry #Giveaway

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5M4B disclosure

the scavengersThe Scavengers is an imaginative novel for 9 – 12 year olds set in a dystopian future. If you aren’t a fan of Young Adult fiction, you might not be familiar with this genre of fiction, but it’s very popular (Think Divergent, The Hunger Games, etc). A dystopia is defined as “an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.” What makes this novel so unique is that it is geared to younger readers and from the perspective of a girl their age.

My 10-year-old son and I have been enjoying this book so much.

Head over to 5 Minutes for Mom to read my review of The Scavengers. You can also enter to win your own copy.

Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Why Young People Connect with Dystopian Stories {On Reading}

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Guest contributor Jordan Smith can be found online at http://www.jordanthomassmith.com and he invites you to come on by!

divergent books

The Divergent series is storming the publishing world and soon the film adaptations of those novels will likely storm the world of movies. For those who don’t know, this YA series by Veronica Roth focuses on a near-future society where 16 year olds are required to take a standardized test, the results from which will be used to place them into one of five rigidly construed category-groups. This is on the heels of The Hunger Games, another YA series about forcing some young adults into gladiatorial games most don’t want to do, and a rigidly enforced geo-economic caste system. These two series alone count millions of young adults in their devoted fan bases, and countless other books with overlapping themes have made YA-dystopia one of the most widely read subgenres in modern fiction. Maybe there’s something about today’s young adults that makes them really identify with the dystopian subgenre, or maybe young adults in any modern era can identify with dystopian stories.

I understand why when I recoall my own young, or younger adult years. I’ve just turned 30, which makes me a graying, out of it fogie in the eyes of today’s young adults, and a wet behind the ears pup to those middle aged or older. But alas, this means I can still recall well my young adult years, but have some distance from them now that gives me a bit of perspective. I remember that in the high school years of my young adulthood it really felt at times like the entire world was turning against me. Most of the time I had a teacher mad about a test or project I had dropped the ball on, peers exerting their various pressures, parents insisting on certain limits or expectations, siblings I was still sharing a room with, sometimes a job to attend to. Meanwhile I was supposed to be making decisions on my future plans, just little choices like what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Besides having some pressures as a young adult, you’re legally required until age 16 to report on most week days to a local government building with many rules and a structure to your day you’ll have limited influence over. If you’re 16 or over you have a legal right to not attend, but practically speaking you’ll probably have no choice but to keep doing so, given expectations of parents, your own future plans, etc. Thinking about all of this can easily cause one to start resenting authority, especially authority in an abstract form like what the government will be in the future.

I know now that the pressures I faced in young adulthood were nothing compared to some of the adversities people have endured in the larger world. Of course many young adults really do face extremely difficult things. Even in the halls of affluent suburban high schools there can be extreme bullying, the occasional oppressive teacher or principal. There can be toxic parents in the homes of posh gated communities. But this being said, in your young adulthood many lesser challenges can seem so unfair, final in their consequences and significant to the world, when later in life you realize they were none of those things. No wonder young adults with identify with Katniss Everdene having to fight in life and death combat as the world watches. They don’t yet realize that what happens in young adulthood academically, socially, extracurricular wise, etc., mostly will neither limit nor guarantee much about your future. The rest of the world probably doesn’t care either way about the challenges you faced most of the time.

But although us older(ish) people could follow this reasoning to a conclusion of writing off these feelings of young adults as so much melodrama and self-importance, we should consider that we have something to learn from their perspective, as any generation has to learn from the perspective of any other generation. After all, young adults often still have some idealism in their thinking; while they may have felt pressures in their own lives they often haven’t seen how efforts to change the larger world can blow up in the face of those trying to do the right thing. Or seen how elusive it can be to even determine what the ‘right’ thing is sometimes. Not having been burned in these ways, young adults often still have a strain of idealism which helps them articulate better than most the way things ought to be in society. Knowing how things ought to be helps them also understand how things shouldn’t be, and therefore to connect with that when it’s conveyed in dystopia. If we dialogue with young adults as equals we can hear them recapitulate to us the way things ought to be, things that were once important to us too. Their yearnings may bolster our own latent idealist leanings, and give us a renewed sense of the ways in which progress may be possible in our world, and therefore worth pursuing. There’s nothing that can renew a sense of energy like new allies coming into the fold.

The young adults have to meet us halfway though, and listen when we say how most of what they face now isn’t final (good news for them usually), how some things you never think can make sense can come right into focus if you’re suddenly put in a position you‘ve never been in before, and how the best intended idealism can have the most serious unintended consequences, even for those you were trying to help.

My Epiphany About the Books vs. Movies Question {On Reading}

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It’s no secret among the people in my life that I am a hardcore book lover, and I am no stranger to the movie theater either. When those two worlds collide, however, my friends and family should know by now to run for the hills, because film adaptations of books that I’ve enjoyed usually cause me to go a little crazy. Crazy as in, not only will I go see the movie with the full expectation that I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll sit with a small notepad and pen on my lap so that I can jot down the aspects of the movie that differ from the original content in the book.

Yes, that crazy. Oh, and I’m usually wearing one of my favorite t-shirts when I go see such films– the one adorned with this image on the front:

movies_books

This past Friday, I spent some time finishing up Suzanne Collins’ Catching Fire (for the third time) so that it would be fresh in my head before heading to the movie that evening. Somehow, three friends and my husband all agreed to not only go to the movie with me, but to even sit in the same row. It didn’t take too long into the film before I uncapped my pen, and the pal to my left leaned in and asked, “Why do you do that to yourself?” My answer was immediate and genuine, “So I don’t do it to you.” I have to let it out in the moment, so better that they notice me jotting on a paper than me tsking in their ears.

After a big theatrical release like Catching Fire, the buzz begins in the book vs. movie vein. Personally, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever say that a movie is better than a book. Not out of the question, as I can think of at least one book that I actually didn’t enjoy but was quite taken by its movie counterpart. In that case, the movie told a bit of a different story, so it was a bit like judging apples and oranges. But if I really loved a book, it’s a safe bet to say that I’m never going to prefer the big screen adaptation.

I’ve been told to just sit back and enjoy, to keep in mind that a movie is a different medium than a book and that every little detail on the pages can never be fit into a reasonable movie time frame. Just accept the changes and the omissions, they say. While I understand the reality of these statements, I still can’t sit back and relax, and I know that part of it is a sadness that big movies will always reach larger audiences than books. My book-loving heart wants people to experience the original source more than taking in some incomplete adaptation as their only exposure to the story.

As I lay in bed in the wee hours of the morning after the late night movie, I couldn’t stop thinking about why I feel the way I feel. I had to admit to myself that I really enjoyed the movie that night, despite my notebook scribblings, and that the character portrayals couldn’t have been better by this talented cast. Sure, I can nitpick some details that were different than the book, and I have a continued frustration with both Hunger Games films’ downplaying of a character who is so integral to the trilogy’s story arc, but overall, the film was excellent. So what was still gnawing at me?

Then it hit me. It’s not a “better than” question, because it’s the experience itself that is wholly different, and it’s that essential aspect that makes my preference lie with books almost 100% of the time. As I sat in the darkened theater, the action on the screen played out in front of me so fast-paced that I found myself holding my breath at times. Almost two and a half hours flew by like nothing. Not only was the story’s time frame sped up in the film adaptation, but the entire experience went by so quickly that there was no time to think or reflect. Comments that held great meaning and gave me pause when I read them on the page were gone in a second on the screen, and I couldn’t stop myself from thinking, “Do people understand the significance of that?” A bookmark can be placed or a page corner dog-eared so that a scene in the story can sink in, but in a movie, the action continues and your mind goes on to the next scene immediately.

The other aspect of the book vs. movie experience that I realized held great weight with me could be summed up this way- seeing vs. feeling. I guess it shouldn’t be a complete “vs.” idea, since I am moved to tears with emotion by films all the time. I’m not saying that movies don’t make me feel at all, but the visual component often takes over, especially in an action-filled film like Catching Fire. A bit of a spoiler alert here, but I think there’s one scene that is in both the book and movie that works well to explain my meaning for this. One feature of the Quarter Quell game this time around places jabberjays in the arena equipped with the wails of the tributes’ loved ones. Designed to psychologically torture the trapped tributes relentlessly for an entire hour, they represent the unending power of the Capitol and the fear that it wishes to constantly instill in its residents. In the book, this torture goes on for five long pages, but of course it is a short scene in the film, as it needs to be. While the horror of it is clearly up there on the screen, it didn’t grip me deep in my gut in the same way as when I had to read it word by word.

My brain doesn’t create terribly vivid images when I read and that always causes me to gasp at big screen depictions, because I didn’t focus on the visual component when I read the book. For me, the reading experience is more about the emotional investment, the intricate processing of words into feelings, and the time spent thinking about the story between chapters. A movie can wow me with its effects and the quality of the actors’ performances, but it always leaves me wanting more time to be in the moment with the characters and think about what is happening to them.

Perhaps my epiphany will allow me to put the notebook away next year when the first part of Mockingjay is released, because I can go in knowing that I will not walk out a couple hours later having had an emotional experience at the same level as the book. With that unconscious expectation lifted, maybe I will finally be able to appreciate the film as a completely separate medium and just sit back and relax.

I’ll still pack the notebook and pen, just in case.

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Catching Fire Quarter Quell #Giveaway

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Lionsgate has offered up another fun giveaway for our readers in anticipation of the Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie opening on November 22. Look at the fun posters and merchandise that you can win right here, then also check out the Catching Fire movie tie-in book giveaway over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Catching Fire Collage

Hunger Games: Catching Fire Quarter Quell giveaway

  • THE HUNGER GAMES DVD
  • Mockingjay Pin
  • Katniss Capitol Portrait
  • Peeta Capitol Portrait
  • Finnick Capitol Portrait
  • A Quarter Quell Poster
  • Final movie Poster

Start your entry process by putting your name and email address in the widget. Then first leave a comment answering: When do you think you’ll see the movie?

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE Official Socials

Official Facebook Page: facebook.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/TheHungerGames
Official Google+ Page: https://plus.google.com/+TheHungerGamesM…
Official Pinterest Page:http://pinterest.com/hungergamesfilm/
Official Hunger Games Explorer Site: http://www.thehungergamesexplorer.com/us
Capitol Couture Instagram: http://instagram.com/CapitolCouture#
The Hunger Games Instagram: http://instagram.com/thehungergames
#CatchingFire
#TickTock

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My interview with #CatchingFire cast: Finnick, Johanna, Betee, Gloss and Cashmere #Giveaway

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Finnick (Sam Claflin), Cashmere (Stephanie Leigh Schlund), Johanna (Jena Malone)

I  love the opportunities to do interviews and get behind-the-scenes information on upcoming movie releases. I was surprised to get invited to the Tribute Tour for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire right in my hometown! It was a short press conference, but I was glad to get my question in:

When people are cast for films based on something, sometimes they avoid the original source so that they can stay true to the director’s vision. What was your level of familiarity with the books or the first movie before you filmed?

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Gloss (Alan Ritchson), Betee (Jeffrey Wright), Finnick (Sam Claflin)

Jeffrey Wright (Betee) is a real actor’s actor. He wasn’t familiar with the books, but his children strongly encouraged him to take this role. He read the books with intent, calling them an “encyclopedic background.” OF course he wanted to read them, because he “looked for any crutch possible.”

Stephanie Leigh Schlund read the books voraciously after seeing the first movie. She read the character of Cashmere with much interest, so it was fortuitous that she got that role. She really had to put her acting chops to work because she describes herself as “a person who gives free hugs,” so she had to tap into Cashmere’s pure arrogance.

Alan Ritchson who plays Gloss proves that brains and beauty aren’t mutually exclusive. He said that the books — which he read even before the first movie came out — “phenomenal source material.” I loved his description of screenplays as well: “picture books with dialogue.” I think this movie looks incredible visual, and it will be amazing to see.

Jena Malone (Johanna) is a super fan. You could tell in listening to her that she drunk it all in. She described the sequel in this way:

Anything you expect is safe, mind will be completely blown.

Malone shared that Francis Lawrence, the director, gave them access to the author Suzanne Collins, who they could ask any questions about back story. He also had a PTSD expert to key into those elements of each of the victors’ stories.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

My daughter was most excited about my opportunity to visit with Finnick, Sam Clafin. His casting decision probably caused the most waves from the superfans, thinking he wasn’t hot or ripped enough to be golden boy Finnick. Clafin said the fan reaction spurred him to work harder, and he really didn’t blame the fans, because when he was cast, he was a “fat English pale kid.”

Schlund assured us “from the point of view of a woman” that he will not disappoint.

A question I wanted to ask, but didn’t get to, is if the experience was more like boot camp or summer camp. The training and arena footage looks an awful lot like hard work, but seeing these tributes together also made it obvious that they were having a lot of fun too.

2013-11-06 14.32.20THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE is directed by Francis Lawrence, from a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael DeBruyn, based upon the novel “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. The novel is the second in a trilogy that has over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE opens on November 22, 2013. Lionsgate presents a Color Force/Lionsgate production.

Enter to Win

Click over to my post at 5 Minutes for Mom to enter to win one of three copies of the movie tie-in version of Catching Fire..

You’ll get an entry for commenting here, so do that first, but then click on through to read my post over there. Which of these actors do you most want to see on screen? My answer below.

You can also check out the cool Hunger Games: Catching Fire chocolates that represent each of the 12 districts.

 

Official Site: http://www.thehungergamesexplorer.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thehungergamesmovie

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thehungergames

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thehungergames                

Google+:https://plus.google.com/+TheHungerGamesMovies

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hungergamesfilm/

Hashtags: #CatchingFire | #IdentifyYourself | #CelebrateYourVictors

To reread or not to reread, that is the question {On Reading}

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I generally have a policy. I think I’ve written about it here, but I couldn’t find an old post to link back to, so I’ll just repeat myself. It’s a policy about books and movies that represents my viewpoint well.

First, the viewpoint: I am not a purist. I believe that books and movies are totally different forms of media, and thus details might change, plot points might be altered some, and other things will be left out entirely. I don’t hold a filmmaker to exacting standards of sameness, but I do want the same feeling to come across.

So my policy that I generally keep to honor the difference between a book and a movie is not to read (or re-read) a book right before a movie comes out. I like to give myself several months, at least 6 usually, for the details to become fuzzy. That way when I’m watching a movie, I’m not plagued with the “injustices” of the changes. I don’t find myself thinking, “They met in the winter. It was at a Christmas party! That was so important to their relationship. Why are they on a beach???”

In fact, if a movie comes out, and it’s based on a book that I haven’t read but the whole thing sounds interesting, I don’t usually rush to read the book first. And if a movie comes out based on one of my favorite books, I don’t generally feel the need to reread the “real” story before seeing the movie.

After interviewing Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, in anticipation of the movie’s release, and being sent on a expenses-paid trip to interview some of the cast and production crew of the movie, I’ve been talking about it a lot. I had only finally read the Book Thief a couple of months ago, right before my interview with the author, and my friend who had read it ages ago kept saying “I probably need to reread it.” I sort of disagreed with her and was thinking “No, don’t ruin it! Just let it happen as a movie!”

But then I saw the movie, with the lovely background of the book still fairly fresh in my mind, and I found myself thinking “Were those exact words in the book?” in a good way, not a critical way (like if they weren’t, they certainly could’ve been!). But I also appreciated knowing more than what they could fit into a two hour movie.

When I was looking back for my post about my “strict policy,” I did find my post about rereading Hunger Games before I watched the movie. Aside from The Book Thief movie, this was probably the movie that was tied in with a book that I was most anticipating. Rereading my post I see that, I appreciated the 2nd look at the book I remembered before seeing the movie.

So maybe my policy has changed? Or maybe these two movies and books were both strong enough to uphold the scrutiny?

I want to hear from you. Leave me a comment and tell me if you like to reread favorite books before seeing the movie. What are some of the good book to film adaptations that you’ve seen?

You should also check out my post about finally reading the Book Thief to get your chance to win a copy of that book.

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The 100

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5M4B disclosure

the 100Take the class system and limited resources of The Hunger Games, add in a love triangle (also in Hunger Games, huh?), a crash and limited resources a la Lost and mix with 2001: A Space Odyssey (I just picked that space movie out of thin air, so it could be more like Star Trek for all I know), and you have The 100. But I’m not calling it derivative. It was an unusual and interesting combination in my mind, bringing together all the elements of a good Young Adult book. It’s pretty light and easy, but that’s okay too.

A few hundred years ago, earth was hit with a nuclear detonation. A group of people are living on a space station, where they’ve been researching radiation levels, hoping to be able to return. When supplies on the ark start running low in spite of a judicious capital punishment system and severe population control, the chancellor decides to send a group of 100 juvenile offenders currently in custody down to earth to see if it’s habitable.

One whom was supposed to go escaped just before departure, so the story on the ark continues as well through her eyes, while those on earth are left to try to set up camp, find food, and all get along.

By the time I was 3/4 finished, I knew that it wasn’t going to be the end, about which I had mixed emotions. I’m interested in knowing more about these people and their worlds, but it ended without much of anything resolved, which is disappointing. I don’t mind the typical trilogy model, but I like to feel some sort of complete story arc by the time I get to the end of the novel.

Coming soon on the CW:

There’s a lot of hype about the fact that this was already developed for television before the book even came out. I think it will make a good television show, and yes, knowing that, I could picture it in my head that way, but I don’t think that makes the book any less of a good read.

You can watch a preview of the show which is slated to be a mid-season replacement. Of course I’ve already noticed some differences in plot, but I think it will be one my 15-year-old daughter and I might watch together.

The Shade of the Moon (Life As We Knew It series)

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5M4B disclosure

the shade of the moonLife As We Knew It came out in 2006 before Hunger Games really sparked the YA dystopian craze. It was a strong novel, about the effects on the earth’s climate when the moon gets knocked off its orbit. It stands on its own, and I was surprised when a 2nd book came out a couple years later. But what keeps this series fresh — especially this 4th offering which reinvigorates the whole story — is that the book is more about the event, not necessarily the characters.

The first novel followed 16-year-old Miranda and how the disaster affects her and her older and younger brothers. The second takes us to a different city with a whole different cast of characters. The 3rd brings the two sets of characters together.

The Shade of the Moon: Life As We Knew It Series, Book 4 looks at their lives in an enclave. Matt was selected to go live there with his stepmother and younger half-brother, because he was the youngest and had the most potential to realize. His mom Laura and sister Miranda are living outside the enclave, and are known as “grubs,” those who serve the “clavers” in the enclave or are workers within the grub town.

The story takes place 4 years after the incident, and things are just getting worse. The air quality is affecting everyone, the differences between those who have and those who have not create even more problems. This is Matt’s story, and he represents this conflict perfectly.

I also like that each book does stand on its own, which isn’t always the case in this type of series. At the end of this one, the door is definitely left open to another book in the series, and I’d say this is possibly the most “cliffhangy” ending of the series, but even so, it stands on its own, telling a complete story.

CONTENT:

The first book is appropriate for a younger audience, as young as 5th or 6th grade, but the subsequent novels, including this one, are much more grim and explicit. There is murder, death by natural causes, and rape. These are good novels, but I’d only recommend them for readers at least 8th grade and up. Re-reading this paragraph and the topics I listed gave me pause about the age recommendation, but it’s handled in an appropriate way. Dystopian fiction is harsh, but I think that because it doesn’t have a realistic setting, it reads as fantasy and so it’s easier to digest.

Let’s discuss The Hobbit {Books on Screen}

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How do you feel when books you love get made into movies? Me, I usually hate them. If I do like them (i.e. Hunger Games), I still think the book was so much better, and I’m always sad that my mental images have been ruined. In fact, I’ll admit I’m usually one of those people spluttering incoherently at the screen, while my husband rolls his eyes and says sympathetic things like, “That tree was much further left in the book.”

JRR Tolkein and his world of Middle Earth play starring roles in our family’s lives. I’d read the  books, several times, especially in high school and college. The movies started coming out when our kids were still quite young, and they immediately adored them. I made them read the books, of course, but they are loud and unabashed fans of the movies. And, because of this, I have had to endure more than one The Lord of the Rings marathon, not to mention countless reshowings. The books have been reread too, and unsurprisingly, our household (well, 3/5ths of it) has been counting down the days till The Hobbit movie came out. I was pleasantly surprised that we didn’t have to go to the midnight opening, but were instead allowed to wait an entire 24 hours thanks to some judiciously placed final exams at my son’s school. No I didn’t bribe the teacher.

Here are some of my thoughts, from someone who still thinks the book is so much better. And, warning, I’m assuming you’ve read the book and seen the movie yourself by now!

* Casting Martin Freeman as Bilbo was brilliant! He’s perfect. His wry expressions and self-deprecating laugh add to the character. His scene with Andy Serkis’ Gollum is the best in the movie! Worth admission price right there.

* Who thinks CGI is as magical as Peter Jackson? It’s a little too much. And too many near-death experiences are emerged from unscathed. Someone is always dangling from their fingertips off a cliff, or sliding down rocks (one reviewer  compared it to a pinball game! Very apt. Sorry I can’t give credit as I don’t remember where I got it from) or taking blows to the head from maces, shaking it off, and moving on with all their teeth and bones intact. I’m perfectly willing to suspend disbelief, but I felt Jackson was taking advantage of that willingness.

*Azog who? We didn’t need the fake-looking “pale orc” who shadows Thorin to kill him. There’s enough going on.

*Radagast the Ridiculous*? Others have compared him to Jar-Jar Binks, the obnoxious character from the prequel to Star Wars. I didn’t hate him, but he’s just too darn cute and quirky for me. And seriously, mushrooms?

* It’s too bloated and creaky. Two movies–yes. Three movies? The trilogy The Lord of the Rings is serious; the weight of the entire world hangs in the balance,  dependent on the success of one little hobbit’s trip to Mordor. The Hobbit is a lighter read. Sure there’s lots of adventures and dragon-killing, but all that really hangs in the balance is the dwarves regaining their gold. Jackson has infused it with sorrow and foreboding. Yes, there are elements of this in the book, and he’s pulling in story elements from the appendices from the end of The Return of the King. But did he have to? No. I think it would have been a better movie had he stuck more faithfully to the book.

* Galadriel wasn’t in the book at all. She and Gandalf keep doing that thing where she stares at him meaningfully and talks in his head. I have perfected this look and I keep doing it at Elliot (my son) and then asking if he understood me.

In spite of my complaints, it’s a fun movie. It will stand up to the inevitable re-watchings, and for that I’m thankful. I’m looking forward to Beorn, and the spiders in the woods, and the elven king’s halls and the barrel rides and, most of all, Smaug the Dragon. But it could have been so much better. I feel that Jackson is taking himself a bit too seriously this time round.

Ok, let’s discuss. What did you think? Agree or disagree? Let’s have at it (respectfully of course) in comments!

* In reference to Rabadash the Ridiculous as referenced in CS Lewis’ book The Horse and His Boy, which happily they have not made into a movie. Yet, she said ominously.

Kids’ Picks – January 8 (The last one, with something new to come!)

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My kids went back to school today after a long winter break, and we enjoyed the less structured reading time. Both kids of course got books for Christmas, plus we have a nice pile of Christmas and snow books that only come out at this time of year.

In addition to getting back to the Magic Tree House book we’d been reading, the 6 year old and I read the first two LEGO Ninjago graphic novels that I found out about thanks to Jennifer. I don’t usually like reading graphic novels aloud (or at all, really) but these were easy to read, and it won’t be long before he can read them himself. He also received, but we haven’t started yet, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, which is the first book in the series that Rise of the Guardians is based on.

The boys had their well visits a couple of weeks ago, and when the Nurse Practitioner we see asked the 9 year old what he’s reading, she raised her eyebrows at his answer – The Lord of the Rings and Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, he was on the first chapter of Lord of the Rings in school and hasn’t touched it over break, even though I put it on his Kindle Fire, and I had to return Horten’s to the library, and when I borrowed it again a couple of weeks later, he seemed to have lost interest. But now that he’ll need to read for school again I’m hoping he’ll pick it back up.

As for what he’s actually been reading lately, two non-fiction books he got for Christmas have captured his interest – Sports Illustrated Kids 1st and 10: Top 10 Lists of Everything in Football and The Dangerous Book for Boys.

And now for something new:

As much as we’ve enjoyed sharing our Kids’ Picks and reading about yours, due to lack of interest, we are going to put it out to pasture. However, we want to do something new that will allow our reading community here to interact, answering that age old question about what people should read next. You know how when people find out you are a reader or that your kids like to read, they always want a recommendation. So starting next month on February 12, we’ll launch a new feature. We’re not exactly sure what it will be called, perhaps something as simple as “Reading Recommendations” or “What to Read Next?” (we’d love your input as well). We’re hoping this will be a place people can come to ask questions like “Is my child old enough to read The Hunger Games? or “What do you recommend beyond Magic Tree House for beginning readers? or “I finally picked up a book over Christmas, and I want to read more. I loved Gone Girl — what should I try next?”

–Looking forward to starting something new next month, from Jennifer, Nancy and the whole 5 Minutes for Books team

The Panem Companion

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Were you as swept away by The Hunger Games series as I was? I devoured each book in turn, re-reading the previous installment in time for the next one’s release. I passed my copies around to any friend who would agree to read them, all in hopes that I’d have someone to talk with about the series. I literally watched as my husband read the series finale Mockingjay, just to see if he’d look up and want to talk about a passage he’d just completed.

You could say that I became a little obsessed with this story. Last year, I indulged my fangirl obsession with The Girl Who Was On Fire, a collection of essays discussing multiple themes from the series. This year, Smart Pop Books has given me yet another opportunity to revisit the world of Katniss and Peeta in The Panem Companion: An Unofficial Guide to Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, From Mellark Bakery to Mockingjays.

In this book, author V. Arrow takes an analytical approach toward the influences and deeper meanings of the series. I can’t even begin to share my favorite sections of this book, as I’ve dog-eared practically the entire volume! Opening the book is the author’s logical and obviously well-thought out explanations about attempting to create a map of Panem. Taking in textual clues from various references to the land sprinkled throughout the books, along with logic about North American geography and resources, Arrow presents several versions of a physical map explaining why some work better than others. I found it fascinating to read the amount of thought and research that went into this chapter!

Throughout the fifteen chapters, themes that are addressed include race, ethnicity, culture, gender roles, sexuality, connections with mythology, possible origins of names included in the series, and analyses on specific characters, including an outstanding take on the influential role Cinna plays in the rebellion as a whole. With each chapter, the author starts new conversations about important issues that stuck with me long after I finished reading.

The Panem Companion is a thoughtful volume that encourages the kind of post-reading action that I absolutely love– breaking down a meaningful piece of literature to discuss its parts, influences, and meaning. I wish I could have a long, drawn-out conversation with this author about one of the most thought-provoking series that I’ve ever read!

Dawn loves to indulge her literary obsessions, and her husband especially appreciates when a book like this takes the onus of discussion off of him. More of her thoughts on parenting, books, and an adoration of NPR can be found on her blog my thoughts exactly.

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