The Hunger Games

So, you know that a while back I started volunteering with a group of girls, in their teens, teaching a craft class. The class has become a little more than crafts. I'm more of a mentor, as scary as that seems. When the class first started we had 8 girls between the ages of 13 and 18. All of them have been in and out of juvenile detention centers and all are currently in foster care. Most of them have had children of their own. How scary is that? But, 2 of the girls have moved on or found a forever home. I've grown to love these girls and respect them. They are teaching me as much as they say I'm teaching them. But recently we have started a little book club. (This could be a long post)

It all started when the girls arrived for class and I was reading my kindle. I was just finishing up "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. Teenagers are drawn to technology. So, of course they swarmed around me to check it out. I told them what I was reading and to my surprise every single one of them said that they have never read a book! I was flabbergasted! We spent the entire class discussing books I thought they might like. Then it was decided that I would bring a book and read to them. So, I brought the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I read the series and fell in love with it and figured they would love it too. And bonus! The movie will be in theatres in March!

The day of our next class came. I brought the book. I told the girls that I would start reading and then we would pass the kindle around for everyone to have a turn. They didn't like that idea! I remember how scared I was when I had to take a speech class in high school. But really, it's no different than standing up and speaking to a group of friends. Reading from a book is easier! You have the words right in front of you! You don't have to figure out what to say! I explained to the girls that nobody would judge them and that they should respect each others reading time by being quiet and most of all, pay attention to the story! I love to read aloud! Call me crazy but I use to read to the boys on long road trips! I read an entire Harry Potter book to them once and was hoarse when I was done! Good Times!

The reading went well. The girls payed attention and were very respectful and I could tell they were falling in love with this book! We read the first two chapters in class. Rose, my partner in this adventure surprised the girls by giving them the first book to take home. 

If you haven't heard of the book let me give you a little background..... The book takes place in the not too distant future. The US has been divided into 12 districts and has fallen to despair. People are starving! The Government has come up with a GAME where each district offers up 2 representatives between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate. It's like Survivor meets Gladiator! The reps are chosen via lottery. It's a horrible game where the players fight to the death! To me, this story is about bravery, honor, family and survival! It is amazing!

To one of my girls in class, it hit a little too close to home. She comes from a seriously broken home. Meals were non-existent but abuse was a plenty. Her Mom checked out and left her to care for her siblings. It was not a pretty picture. I never realized how close to home this book would hit for her. What was I thinking? I felt so bad when she called me to say she couldn't read the book. I thought she meant that it was too difficult, maybe she wasn't the best reader. I told her she could get an audio book and read along....But what she meant was the book hits a little too close to home..........ohhh. I keep telling these girls to leave the past in the past, right? So, how do you deal with this?

You hear songs on the radio, watch movies that hit close to home, bring on bad memories. do you stop watching the movie? You can! Or you can keep watching it and remind yourself that you're a survivor and that is the past! You've learned your lesson and you're moving on. Be proud of that! I love this girl to death for her courage and her siblings are the luckiest kids in the world to have such a great big sister. She taught them to overcome and to never give up! NEVER STOP TRYING!

She kept reading the book. She finished it and moved on to the second. This book is so inspiring. It made me think.......We live in a society that takes everything for granted. Sorry, there are people who know the value of things. But for the most part we blow things out of proportion. The holidays are upon us and I bet we're going overboard! Don't over do it!