Suzanne Collins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suzanne Collins
Collins in 2010
Born	(1962-08-10) August 10, 1962 (age 62) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Novelist Author
Education	Indiana University Bloomington (BA) New York University (MFA)
Genre	Fantasy, science fiction, children's literature, young adult fiction, dystopian fiction
Notable works	The Hunger Games The Underland Chronicles
Spouse	Charles Pryor ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	2
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Suzanne Collins (born August 10, 1962) is an American author and television writer. She is best known for writing the popular young adult book series The Hunger Games. This series tells a thrilling story set in a future world. She also wrote the children's fantasy series The Underland Chronicles.

Early Life and Education

Suzanne Collins was born on August 10, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut. Her father was a U.S. Air Force officer. Because of his job, her family moved around a lot. They lived in places like Brussels, Belgium, and different parts of America.

As a young girl, Suzanne loved to read. She also enjoyed gymnastics and exploring the woods with her friends.

Schooling and College

Collins graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in 1980. She studied Theater Arts there. She then went to Indiana University Bloomington. In 1985, she earned a degree in theater and telecommunications. Later, in 1989, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University. This degree was in dramatic writing.

Career as a Writer

Collins started her writing career in 1991. She wrote for children's television shows. She worked on many shows for Nickelodeon. These included Clarissa Explains It All and Little Bear. She was also the head writer for Clifford's Puppy Days on PBS.

From TV to Books

After meeting another children's author, James Proimos, Collins felt inspired. She decided to try writing children's books herself.

Her idea for Gregor the Overlander came from Alice in Wonderland. She thought about how someone might fall down a manhole instead of a rabbit hole. This led to her best-selling series, The Underland Chronicles. She wrote five books in this series between 2003 and 2007. These books are Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods, Gregor and the Marks of Secret, and Gregor and the Code of Claw. She also wrote a picture book called When Charlie McButton Lost Power in 2005.

The Hunger Games Series

In September 2008, Scholastic Press released The Hunger Games. This was the first book in her famous series. The story was partly inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Her father's military career also helped her understand themes like poverty and war.

The second book, Catching Fire, came out in September 2009. The third book, Mockingjay, was released on August 24, 2010. These books quickly became very popular. The Hunger Games stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for over 60 weeks.

Film Adaptations

The Hunger Games books were turned into movies. Lions Gate Entertainment made the films. Collins herself helped adapt the first novel for the screen. The first movie, The Hunger Games, was released in 2012. It starred Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Josh Hutcherson played Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth played Gale Hawthorne. The other two books were also made into films. The final book, Mockingjay, was split into two movies.

Because of the huge success of The Hunger Games, Time magazine named Collins one of the most influential people of 2010. In March 2012, Amazon announced she was the best-selling Kindle author ever.

New Hunger Games Stories

On June 17, 2019, Collins announced a new Hunger Games book. This book is a prequel, meaning it tells a story from before the original series. It was released on May 19, 2020. The title is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It is about the early life of future President Coriolanus Snow. A movie based on this book was released on November 17, 2023. It starred Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird.

On June 6, 2024, Collins announced another new prequel. This book is set 24 years before the main trilogy. It was released on March 18, 2025. The book is called Sunrise on the Reaping. It explores the 50th Hunger Games, which was won by Haymitch Abernathy. Lionsgate plans to make this book into a film. The movie is set to release on November 20, 2026.

Personal Life

Suzanne Collins moved to New York City in 1987. She lived there until 2003.

In 1992, she married Charles "Cap" Pryor. He has always supported her writing. He even read and gave feedback on her first drafts of The Hunger Games. They live in Newtown, Connecticut, with their two children, Charlie and Isabel. Collins is a very successful author.

Awards and Recognition

Suzanne Collins has won many awards for her books. Her work has been recognized by many organizations.

Other Awards

• ALSC Notable Children's Recording (audio version)
• 2009: Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year: Children's Fiction for Catching Fire
• An American Library Association Top 10 Best Books For Young Adult Selection
• An ALA Notable Children's Book
• A Horn Book Fanfare
• NY Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
• 2016: Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community (first time awarded to an author of young adult fiction)

See also

In Spanish: Suzanne Collins para niños