Suzanne Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suzanne Collins
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Collins in 2010
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| Born | August 10, 1962 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
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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 |
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Suzanne Collins (born August 10, 1962) is an American author and TV writer. She is famous for writing the young adult book series The Hunger Games. This series is a dystopian story, meaning it's set in a future where things have gone very wrong. 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 child, Suzanne loved to read. She also enjoyed gymnastics and exploring the woods with her friends. She graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in 1980. Later, she earned a degree from Indiana University Bloomington in 1985. In 1989, she got another degree from New York University, focusing on writing for plays and movies.
Career Highlights
Collins started her writing career in 1991. She wrote for many children's television shows. Some of these shows were on Nickelodeon, like Clarissa Explains It All and Little Bear. She also worked on Clifford's Puppy Days for PBS.
The Underland Chronicles
Suzanne Collins was inspired to write children's books after meeting another author. Her idea for Gregor the Overlander came from Alice in Wonderland. She wondered what would happen if someone fell down a manhole instead of a rabbit hole. This led to her popular The Underland Chronicles series.
She wrote five books in this series between 2003 and 2007:
- Gregor the Overlander
- Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
- Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
- Gregor and the Marks of Secret
- Gregor and the Code of Claw
The Hunger Games Series
In 2008, Collins released The Hunger Games. This book became the first in a very popular series. Part of her inspiration came from the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Her father's experiences in the Air Force also helped her understand war and its effects.
The second book, Catching Fire, came out in 2009. The third book, Mockingjay, was released in 2010. These books quickly became best-sellers. Millions of copies were sold.
The Hunger Games books were so popular that they were made into movies. Lions Gate Entertainment made the films. Suzanne Collins even helped write the movie script for the first film. Jennifer Lawrence played the main character, Katniss Everdeen. Josh Hutcherson played Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth played Gale Hawthorne. The three books were made into four movies.
Because of her success, Time magazine named Suzanne Collins one of the most influential people in 2010. Amazon also announced that she was the best-selling Kindle author ever.
New Hunger Games Stories
In 2019, Collins announced a new Hunger Games book. It was a prequel called The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This story is about the early life of President Coriolanus Snow. It takes place 64 years before the original trilogy. A movie based on this book was released in 2023. Tom Blyth played young Coriolanus Snow, and Rachel Zegler played Lucy Gray Baird.
In 2024, Collins announced another prequel. This book, Sunrise on the Reaping, will be released in 2025. It will explore the 50th Hunger Games, which was won by Haymitch Abernathy. A movie for this book is planned for 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. They live in Newtown, Connecticut, and have two children, Charlie and Isabel.
In 2013, Forbes magazine reported that Suzanne Collins was one of the highest-earning authors.
Awards and Recognition
Suzanne Collins has won many awards for her books. Her Hunger Games series has received special recognition.
- For The Hunger Games:
- 2008: Cybils Award (Speculative Fiction: Young Adult): Won
- 2009: Inky Awards (Silver Inky Award): Won
- 2009: Golden Duck Award (Hal Clement Award): Won
- 2011: California Young Reader Medal (Young Adult): Won
- 2012: 2012 Teen Choice Awards (Choice Book): Won
- For Catching Fire:
- 2009: Goodreads Choice Awards (Young Adult Series): Won
- 2010: Golden Duck Award (Hal Clement Award): Won
- 2010: Indies Choice Book Awards (Young Adult): Won
- For Mockingjay:
- 2010: Goodreads Choice Awards (Young Adult Fantasy): Won
- For The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes:
- 2021: Geffen Award (Science Fiction): Won
- Other notable awards:
- 2014: Christopher Award for Year of the Jungle: Memories from the Home Front
- 2016: Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community (She was the first young adult fiction author to receive this award.)
Publications
The Underland Chronicles
- Gregor the Overlander (2003)
- Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (2004)
- Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (2005)
- Gregor and the Marks of Secret (2006)
- Gregor and the Code of Claw (2007)
The Hunger Games series
Original Series
- The Hunger Games (September 14, 2008)
- Catching Fire (September 1, 2009)
- Mockingjay (August 24, 2010)
Prequels
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (May 19, 2020)
- Sunrise on the Reaping (March 18, 2025)
Other Books
- Fire Proof (The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, #11) (1999)
- When Charlie McButton Lost Power (2005)
- Year of the Jungle (2013)
See Also
In Spanish: Suzanne Collins para niños
