HUNGER GAMES Prequel Drops Title, Cover, & Release Date

Yesterday, news surrounding the release of another book set in the world of The Hunger Games instantly went viral. Set 64 years before the original trilogy that took the reading world by storm, Suzanne Collins returns to Panem with a book that takes place during the 10th Annual Hunger Games, beginning the morning of the reaping. Out May 19, 2020 from Scholastic, the book, entitled THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES, is set during the reconstructive era after the war. There will be a first printing of 2.5 million copies simultaneously distributed in the USA, Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with translations to come in 28 more countries. The book retails for $27.99 and comes in at over 600 pages.

In Scholastic's press release, Collins states, On returning to the world of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins said, "With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival. The reconstruction period ten years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days-as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet-provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity."

Take a first look at Tim O'Brien's cover art now: