Sixteen-year-old Katniss lives with her mother and her little sister, Prim, in the poorest district of Panem — District Twelve. Built on the ruins of what was once called North America, Panem once waged war against its districts and emerged victorious, forcing them to send one boy and one girl each year to participate in the televised, deadly competition known as The Hunger Games. The arena, the rules, and the level of audience involvement may change, but one truth remains constant: kill or be killed.

When Prim’s name is drawn in the lottery, Katniss volunteers without hesitation, taking her sister’s place — changing her own fate and beginning a story in which courage and sacrifice are the only paths to survival and strength.