Fans of The Hunger Games have one person to thank for the franchise’s success: Suzanne Collins. Some may argue that the trilogy is the author’s most successful piece of work by far. But what else has she done in her career?
1. The Underland Chronicles
Before The Hunger Games there was The Underland Chronicles. The book series, which has a total of five installations, was published from 2003 to 2007. After falling through a grate, Gregor finds himself in a strange world called the Underland. This grimy world is on the brink of war, a war that an old prophecy says Gregor has something to do with. Gregor is reluctant to explore this connection, but the possibility of solving his father’s disappearance keeps him interested.
2. When Charlie McButton Lost Power
This children’s book features Charlie, who is obsessed with computer games. Naturally, a power outage is his worst nightmare. The only batteries he can find are in his sister’s talking doll. How far will Charlie go to feed his obsession?
3. Year of the Jungle
Year of the Jungle is an autobiographical picture book that was published in 2013. When Suzy’s father goes to fight in the Vietnam war, she is unsure how to adapt to this change. As time goes on, Suzy learns more about how to discuss complex feelings.
4. The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo
Collins has written for other media types, including children’s tv! The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo is just one of the shows that Collins has been a part of. The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo follows a young girl that helps solve cases at her local police department. The show ran on Nickelodeon from 1996-1999. Collins was a writer on the show, contributing to around six episodes. A series of books was released alongside the show. Collins wrote the 11th book, Fire Proof, which follows Shelby and her friends as they embark on a trip to London. Their mystery-solving skills come in handy after a fire breaks out during a performance of Romeo and Juliet.
5. Clarissa Explains It All
Kids and teens in the early ’90s might remember the Nickelodeon sitcom Clarissa Explains It All, which ran from 1991 to 1994. Collins wrote two episodes for the series, season three’s “Blind Date” and season four’s “A Little Romance.” The creator of the show, Mitchell Kriegman, described these episodes as some of the series’ “best bully episodes.” So I guess it’s not too shocking to imagine what came after in the writer’s career.
Did you know about any of these projects? For more fun facts about Suzanne Collins, click here!