Main genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Children
Main audience: Young adult on
Main books: The Hunger Games trilogy (3 books); The Underland Chronicles (5 books)
Short summary of the author: Suzanne Collins was writing television shows for children and children’s author James Proimos got in touch with her and persuaded her to write some children's stories. What she wrote ended up being The Underland Chronicles. Then she branched out and wrote something for young adults ... The Hunger Games. That book acquired a fan base which ranged far beyond that of 'young adults'.
I've only read The Hunger Games books of hers. The write-ups I have seen of The Underland series of books tempt me to see whether or not the library has them. After all, I do love Alice in Wonderland and she had the idea for The Underland books while wondering what would happen if that took place in New York -- and a person falling down a manhole in New York would certainly encounter some strange things.
She writes a tight, exciting and provocative story. The books of The Hunger Games may be read independently of themselves, but to acquire the full flavour of the story I think a person is better off starting at the beginning.
Goodreads write-up:
My library has this write-up for Suzanne Collins:Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.
While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.
Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part series, The Underland Chronicles. Suzanne also has a rhyming picture book illustrated by Mike Lester entitled When Charlie McButton Lost Power.
She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.
The books she is most successful for in teenage eyes are The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books have won several awards, including the GA Peach Award. (less)
Suzanne Collins was born on August 10, 1962. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Indiana University with a double major in Drama and Telecommunications. Collins went on to receive an M.F.A. from New York University in dramatic writing. Since 1991, she has been a writer for children's television shows. She has worked on the staffs of several shows including Clarissa Explains it All, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! and was the head writer for Scholastic Entertainment's Clifford's Puppy Days. Her books include When Charlie McButton Lost Power, The Underland Chronicles, and the Hunger Games Trilogy. Book one of this trilogy, The Hunger Games, became a major motion picture in 2012 with Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence portraying the main character of Katniss Everdeen. Catching Fire, book 2 of the trilogy, became a major motion picture in 2013. Mockingjay - Part One was released as a film in 2014 and Part Two in 2015.
