The hunger games: Catching fire: The official illustrated movie companion

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Scholastic Press, New York, 2013. ISBN 9780545599337.
(Age 12+) Recommended. Movie tie in. Dystopian fiction. Adventure. Strong women characters. Timed to be released as the second film in The hunger games series is due out, this will be a surefire winner of a book. Jam packed with information, the book will fill any follower of the series with all they need to know - and a lot besides. The photographs taken from the film fill the pages, sometimes the whole double page spread is used, and the effect is quite breathtaking. No one will be able to resist this offering. As with the first tie in book for the first film in the series, The hunger games, the opening section gives a brief introduction as to what has happened before this story starts, so whetting the appetite for what may follow.
The book then follows the plot of the new film, giving side panels of information about the setting or the characters or the actors. So in Part 3 'Expanding the world of Panem', a great deal of information is given about the setting, particularly that of Katniss' world, while furthering the plot development. Part four 'Designing the arena' is just as fascinating, detailing the plans for and evolution of the arena for Book Two. Part Five focusses on costume design, an amazing part of the films, with wildly imaginative costumes made for the competitors and the leading figures in the organisers. The whole chapter is a mass of photos of these extraordinary creations that will satisfy any reader.
The whole book whets the appetite for seeing the film, released just before Christmas, 2013, and is every bit as good as the first of The hunger games.
Fran Knight

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