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The Hunger Games Prequel Title Finally Revealed


The Hunger Games fans are understandably excited about Suzanne Collins' upcoming prequel novel that will take place several years before Katniss Everdeen was born. Although Katniss will not show up in the new book, the prequel's title hints at an ongoing theme that's somehow connected to the young heroine.

Collins has finally revealed that her prequel novel will be titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The cover also features the mockingjay that has always appeared on the previous Hunger Games books. However, this time the bird is joined by a snake that shares the branch it is perched on.

David Levithan, VP, Publisher, and Editorial Director for Scholastic, is pleased with the book's cover. "This cover does an extraordinary job of capturing the conflict—both inner and outer—that lies at the heart of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," he said. "The mockingjay has returned, but at a new angle... which is very much in line with the story that Suzanne Collins is telling."

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Credit: Scholastic

Scholastic Trade President Ellie Berger also expressed her excitement for the new novel. "It has been thrilling to see the growing excitement from readers around the globe for this new Hunger Games novel," she said. "Suzanne Collins is an expert storyteller and world-builder, and in revisiting the world of Panem, she again raises important questions about authority, the use of violence, and the truth of human nature."

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place 64 years before Katniss volunteered to take her sister's place as tribute. The prequel novel will be available starting May 19, 2020.

Related: Hunger Games is Getting a Prequel Novel

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