Hello 5th Graders!
I hope that you are all having a fabulous spring semester! If you haven’t started your testing yet, or if you already did, good luck! I know that you will all do your best on the test. 
I apologize for not being able to see you as much recently. I have accepted another long term substitute position at a different school. I will be here until the end of the year. However, I am looking forward to coming to your 5th Grade Honor night; we can all catch up then!
Well, I finally gave in. I have purchased and reading, The Hunger Games series. I know it is yesterday’s news, but I wanted to share with you about my thoughts on it…
I only have two chapters left to read in, “Mockingjay.” (Which I will finish tonight!) By far though, my favorite book in the series was the first book! To me it provided the best plot, great detail, and really added the element of, “What would you do in that situation?” to it. (P.S.-I am totally Team Peeta!) I love how Suzanne Collins made Katniss so strong willed and independent, but also caring and thoughtful. Her transformation as a character, from the first book to the last book, has been the best part to follow.
The ‘Hunger Games’ that the characters participate in, is so imaginative! I don’t think, even in my wildest dreams, I could have ever come up with something so intricute and detailed. The idea that each year you have to enter a pool of other citizens to be choosen as a representative, is so cruel, but brilliant in the writing. As I read the books, I kept referencing that interview we watched from Scholastic with Suzanne Collins. She had spoke about how she came up with the society of the citizens and the district ideas; and what she built the ‘games’ from. I believe, and I would need to revisit the video, but she talked about she referenced the ancient times and how people might have fought to the death. While reading those scenes, I kept asking myself, ” what would I do in this situation?” To be honest, I don’t know if I could have done what the tributes did in the arena. The concept that you would have to be so ruthless, daring, and only have the thought of survival in mind is extreme!
Book 2, ‘Catching Fire’made me like and respect Haymitch a little bit more. He definitely isn’t one of my favorite characters; but as the book moves along you learn that there is more to Haymitch than the actions he chooses to partake in. As strange as it is to say, I like how they pulled the past winners from each district for another round in the games. Katniss predicted the idea of it, but when President Snow put it in action, I stayed up all night reading the rest of the book just to see how it would all turn out!
Now Book 3, well…I was not eager to read it once I started it. I was so anxious to start it after ‘Catching Fire’ left the cliff hanger at the end; but once I began it, I wasn’t all that excited. For me, it started off a little slow. I had to do some re-reading from ‘Catching Fire’ and re-reading in ‘Mockingjay’ to be aware of my surroundings in the book. District 13′s life style was very interesting to read, but I had wondered if that was the place they would all end up in. Again, I really like how the author described District 13. The references and some of the similarities to the Capitol was really interesting and daring for the book. During the talk of running away from their own District, and possibly occupying District 13; the characters didn’t discuss the idea of it being the way it was. Then…OH MY GOSH, Peeta! I was so sad when I realized he wasn’t with them at the beginning of the book. Then, he showed up during the broadcast! He wasn’t the same, but there was the linger of hope for his character and for the relationship between him and Katniss. And then…as if only to torture the readers, he is rescued and wants to kill Katniss! I stopped reading at that point in the evening and picked up again the next day. My heart was racing! As a reader I loved the turn of events in the story, but couldn’t barely take the idea of Peeta hating Katniss and the idea they wouldn’t end up together. (It’s getting better, so I am not as traumatized!)
In conclusion, the series is one of the best reads I have had in a long time. It is unpredictable, and keeps you wanting more. The author does a great job of creating characters that make you have a connection with them. She also has created such an elaborate idea of a society that it is almost unimaginable, but at the same times makes you wonder if this is the type of world we could be one day. ( I hope not!)
Well, 5th graders, that is all I have for you now. I hope what you are reading leaves you wanting to read more and gives you an avenue to be completely imaginative and explore the world of stories!
Miss Sanders