Despite mature themes, ‘Hunger Games’ sparking excitement among Las Vegas youth

By Paul Takahashi

Friday, March 23, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Call it the next "Harry Potter"- or "Twilight"-level craze to hit American youth.

The best-selling young adult novel “The Hunger Games” — whose much-anticipated movie adaptation was released last night — has garnered a popular following among Las Vegas children and teenagers — despite its mature content.

The trilogy’s first novel and film chronicles a dystopian, futuristic world characterized by a televised death match among two dozen children for the thrill of a bloodthirsty audience. Readers say it’s an inspiring story with a hook for everyone: love, action, and moral lessons of sacrifice and heroism.

Darion Ramos, an 18-year-old Green Valley High School senior, said she was hooked on the series after reading the first “The Hunger Games,” written by Suzanne Collins.

“After (the) 'Harry Potter' and 'Twilight' (series ended), what are we going to do now? We needed a new obsession,” she said. “This is the new 'Harry Potter,' the new 'Twilight.'”

Dozens of teenage students at Green Valley High School on Thursday wore blue, gold and pink outfits emblazoned with the trilogy’s “mockingjay” symbol of a bird perched on an arrow in anticipation of the midnight premiere, according to Megan Kelleher. The 17-year-old Green Valley High School senior is a self-described avid reader who has read — and re-read — all three books.

“Everyone is excited for 'The Hunger Games' (premiere),” Kelleher said.

Some educators and parents around the country have questioned how appropriate the book’s dark theme is for young children and teenagers caught up in “The Hunger Games.” Some critics have said even though the movie version has a PG-13 rating, the mature subject matter of children fighting to the death is too heavy for kids.

However, teachers and students who are fans of the book contend “The Hunger Games” is not “graphic” and has educational value. Green Valley started the school year discussing the novel in its junior-level English classes. (“The Hunger Games” is not required reading at all high schools.)

Jennifer Odell, a fifth-year English teacher at Green Valley, used “The Hunger Games” to get her students excited about reading. It was the first book her students read this year, and students enjoyed debating the book’s moral lessons in her class, she said.

“The kids love it,” Odell said, adding that her students had a running countdown on her whiteboard to the movie’s premiere. “What’s great is both boys and girls like it. Most books, the girls like more.”

As teenagers become adults, it’s important to expose students to more mature literature, Odell said, likening “The Hunger Games” to other classics with themes of death. Odell pointed to books such as “Julius Caesar” and “The Lord of the Flies,” a novel by William Golding about a group of marooned boys who experiment with self-governance but end up killing two of their members by accident. (Although “The Lord of the Flies” is controversial among some circles — even banned in some places — Odell said she received no complaints from parents or students about “The Hunger Games.”)

“By 11th grade, students are mature enough to handle it,” Odell said of the books’ themes. “These questions about right or wrong are interesting to talk about with kids,” she said.”

Kelleher, who started reading “The Hunger Games” series in her freshman year, said the book’s mature matter is one that needs to be talked about, even among her generation.

“Death doesn’t have an age limit,” she said. “It’s a topic that needs to be talked about. We’re engaged in war and have soldiers overseas.”

Regardless of the maturity level of its content, “The Hunger Games” has renewed a love of reading among children and teenagers, Odell said, adding she was surprised by how many of her students went on to read the second and third novels in the series.

“It’s sparked an interest in reading, which is great,” she said. “We want them to enjoy reading.”