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Poland library sponsors ‘Hunger Games’
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Kayla Theisler, 16, of Lowellville picks up tissue paper during the first “The Hunger Games” challenge at the Poland Branch library. Kayla and the rest of the designers had to choose random materials and design an outfit based on the 12 districts from the book.
POLAND
More than 60 teens converged on the Poland Branch library to experience some aspects of “The Hunger Games,” a young-adult trilogy, come to life.
“The Hunger Games,” a fictional series written by Suzanne Collins, tells the story of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world and must compete in the Hunger Games.
The games are an annual event in which one teen from each of the 12 “districts” — similar to states — competes in a televised battle in which only one of the teens can survive. A film adaptation is set for release next Friday.
Kayla Theisler, 16, and Marissa Cattoi, 16, both of Lowellville, attended the library program Thursday evening.
“We’re big fans,” Kayla said. “There’s a lot of action in these books.”
There’s also a love triangle in the series, but “it’s not your typical teenage love story,” Marissa added.
John Waller, teen services co-coordinator for the library system, said the popularity of “The Hunger Games” made it a perfect program subject. He said the trilogy is part of a current trend of literature featuring futuristic, post-apocalyptic societies.
“Why they’re so popular is hard to say,” Waller said. “There’s obviously the adventure element, and it’s part of a very popular genre. ‘The Hunger Games’ just struck a chord,” Waller said.
The library divided the teens into the 12 districts to compete in a variety of challenges, the first of which was a fashion show in which participants had to use toilet paper, tissue paper, cotton balls, paper plates, feathers and other items to create an outfit.
“It was interesting, and it was hard to make something out of those materials,” Kayla said.
Waller said The Hunger Games program and others like it are important to the library because teens are “future adult library users” and were somewhat neglected in the past.
“For the longest time, we only had two divisions: juvenile and adult, and not an in- between,” Waller said. “When kids get older, that’s when we start to lose them. So it’s been an important point to focus on what’s important to teens and reflect their interests.”
Dana Brown and Shelly McKnight, both 12 and both of Canfield, said they were excited for the program and often visit their local library branch. The two have read “The Hunger Games” and plan to see a midnight screening of the new movie.
Dana’s mom, Diane Brown, said she’s pleased the library offers teen programming.
“Programs like this reward readers and encourage them to read more,” she said.