Suzanne Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suzanne Collins
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![]() Collins in 2010
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Born | Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
August 10, 1962
Occupation |
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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 |
Signature | |
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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.
Contents
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.
Work | Year | Award | Category | Result | |
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The Hunger Games | 2008 | Cybils Award | Speculative Fiction: Young Adult | Won | |
2009 | Thumbs Up! Award | Won | |||
2009 | Locus Award | Young Adult Novel | Nominated | ||
2009 | Inky Awards | Silver Inky Award | Won | ||
2009 | Golden Duck Award | Hal Clement Award | Won | ||
2010 | Hampshire Book Awards | Book Award | Won | ||
2010 | Kentucky Bluegrass Award | Grades 9-12 | Won | ||
2010 | Children's Book Award | Older Readers | Won | ||
2010 | Children's Book Award | Overall | Won | ||
2010 | Vermont Golden Dome Book Award | Won | |||
2011 | California Young Reader Medal | Young Adult | Won | ||
2011 | Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award | Won | |||
2011 | Sequoyah Book Award | Young Adult and Intermediate | Won | ||
2011 | Sequoyah Book Award | High School | Won | ||
2011 | Geffen Award | Translated Science Fiction Novel | Won | ||
2012 | 2012 Teen Choice Awards | Choice Book | Won | ||
2012 | Concorde Book Award | Won | |||
2012 | BILBY Award | Older Readers Award | Won | ||
The Hunger Games (Film) | 2013 | Ray Bradbury Award | finalist | ||
2012 | Bram Stoker Award | Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||
Catching Fire | 2009 | Goodreads Choice Awards | Young Adult Series | Won | |
2010 | Golden Duck Award | Hal Clement Award | Won | ||
2010 | Locus Award | Young Adult Novel | Nominated | ||
2010 | Indies Choice Book Awards | Young Adult | Won | ||
2012 | Geffen Award | Science Fiction | Won | ||
2014 | BILBY Award | Older Readers Award | Won | ||
2018 | Goodreads Choice Awards | Best of the Best | Nominated | ||
Mockingjay | 2010 | Goodreads Choice Awards | Young Adult Fantasy | Won | |
2011 | Neffy Awards | SF/F Author | Won | ||
2011 | Children's Choice Book Awards | Teen Choice Book of the Year | Nominated | ||
2011 | Locus Award | Young Adult Novel | Nominated | ||
2011 | Andre Norton Award | Nominated | |||
2013 | Geffen Award | Young Adult | Won | ||
2016 | BILBY Award | Older Readers Award | Won | ||
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | 2020 | Goodreads Choice Awards | Young Adult Fantasy | Nominated | |
2021 | Geffen Award | Science Fiction | Won | ||
Year of the Jungle | 2014 | Christopher Award | Books for Young People - Kindergarten and up | Won | |
2014 | Charlotte Zolotow Award | Honor | |||
Gregor the Overlander | 2005 | Beehive Book Award | Children's Fiction | Nominated | |
2006 | Waterstones Children's Book Prize | Best Book | finalist | ||
2004 | NAIBA Children's Novel Award | Won |
- 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