Few fictional villains are as chillingly calculating as President Snow. But before he ruled Panem with a cruel grip, he was just an 18‑year‑old student trying to survive – a story Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes reveals by going back to the 10th Hunger Games to show how a desperate boy became a tyrant.
Author: Suzanne Collins · Publication date: May 19, 2020 · Pages: 528 (hardcover) · Movie release date: November 17, 2023
Quick snapshot
- The exact familial relationship between Lucy Gray and Katniss (grandmother vs. great-grandmother) (Wikipedia)
- Whether Snow’s granddaughter took out her braid as an homage or coincidence
- The 10th Hunger Games take place 10 years after the Dark Days rebellion (Shelf Reflection)
- The next prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, is set 40 years later (Hunger Games Fandom)
- Sunrise on the Reaping published in 2025 (announced) (Hunger Games Fandom)
- Movie adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping in development
The following key facts summarise the book and its adaptation at a glance.
| Author | Suzanne Collins |
| Publication date | May 19, 2020 |
| Pages | 528 |
| Movie release | November 17, 2023 |
| Genre | Dystopian
 George Harry Howard BennettStaff Writer George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight. |