Scholastic The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins is set on the morning of the reaping that begins the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow prepares for what he sees as his single chance at glory: serving as a mentor in the Games. With the once-mighty house of Snow now struggling, its future rests on whether Coriolanus can outcharm, outwit and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to guide a tribute to victory.

The odds are against him from the start. Coriolanus is assigned to mentor the female tribute from District 12, described as the lowest of the low, and their fates become closely linked. Each decision he makes may bring favour or failure, triumph or ruin. As the arena promises a fight to the death, Coriolanus begins to feel for his doomed tribute and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive, whatever the cost.

Key details

• Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
• Series: The Hunger Games
• Author: Suzanne Collins
• Publisher: Scholastic

Synopsis

On the day the tenth annual Hunger Games begin, Coriolanus Snow is selected as a mentor and sees the role as his route back to status. With his family’s fortunes diminished, he must compete with fellow students while trying to secure a win for his tribute.

Assigned to the female tribute from District 12, Coriolanus finds their futures intertwined as the Games unfold. Facing the brutal reality of the arena and the pressures beyond it, he is forced to choose between obeying the rules and doing whatever it takes to survive.