The global top-selling book series, “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins is having a comeback with a new addition to the series, “Sunrise on the Reaping”, released on March 18, 2025. “The Hunger Games” has been known for its futuristic dystopian setting and touches on rebellion, activism, as well as the effect of government on the rich and poor.
This new book will be spotlighting the well-loved Haymitch Abernathy, who mentored the reaped (people drawn to compete in the Hunger Games). This book will cover the 50th Hunger Games and Haymitch’s experience competing, similar to the stories of Katniss in the 74th and 75th Games. It is a sequel to the fourth Hunger Games book, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, which focused on the uprising of President Snow (the antagonist of the previous books).
With a stellar review of 4.8/5 stars on Goodreads, this new book has gotten lots of positive attention by both fans and critics in the last few weeks. For most readers, the ending is no mystery, as it is revealed in the Hunger Games trilogy who the victor will be. This doesn’t stop fans from curiously diving into the obscure past of Haymitch Abernathy.
Many fans were curious about Haymitch’s past in the previous Hunger Games, making this book a great choice for many readers. This notoriously drunken character has seen it all, from mentoring the reaped in District 12, to being a victor himself. However, the real details of his past aren’t clear, making this book the perfect read for so many fans.
The “Sunrise on the Reaping” does more than just answer the many brewing questions about Haymitch’s past. Because Haymitch was close with Katniss Everdeen’s parents, there were several unanswered questions about the original trilogy revealed.
According to Scholastic, Suzanne Collins said that “… younger Haymitch speaks directly to the YA (Young Adult) audience the best.” This is surely great news for the Hunger Games lovers right here at Shorewood, so hopefully this book makes a great addition to the library.
This is just the book that people have been waiting for, as the end of the Hunger Games series would be a tragedy for many. Unfortunately, Collins has not announced the continuation of the series, so it is possible that the Hunger Games will end with the treasured Haymitch Abernathy.
To add to the excitement, a “Sunrise on the Reaping” movie is predicted to be released in 2026. Woody Harrelson, who plays Haymitch, will not likely have a large appearance in the film, as the book focuses on his youth. It will be extremely exciting to see a new actor portray the protagonist of this incredible movie and book.
