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Quick answer: If you loved Mockingjay, try The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Allegiant, The Book Thief and Code Name Verity. Each one shows war, propaganda and survival through the eyes of young people pushed to their limits.
Suzanne Collins's 2010 finale follows Katniss Everdeen as she becomes the Mockingjay, the face of the rebellion against the Capitol, under the control of District 13's President Coin. As the war moves toward the Capitol, Katniss struggles with trauma, a brainwashed Peeta and a growing distrust of the rebels. Readers find it dark, honest and devastating. These books share its war, its propaganda and its cost.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want the start |
| Catching Fire | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want book two |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Suzanne Collins | 13+ | readers who want the prequel |
| Allegiant | Veronica Roth | 13+ | readers who like a bold series ending |
| The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | 13+ | readers who want war and loss |
| Code Name Verity | Elizabeth Wein | 13+ | readers who like WWII heroines |
| Tomorrow, When the War Began | John Marsden | 13+ | readers who like teens at war |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | 15+ | older readers who like rebellion |
| Ender's Game | Orson Scott Card | 12+ | readers who like child soldiers |
| The Fifth Wave | Rick Yancey | 13+ | readers who like survival |
| Legend: Champion | Marie Lu | 13+ | readers who like series finales |
| Long Way Down | Jason Reynolds | 13+ | readers who like cycles of violence |
| Grasshopper Jungle | Andrew Smith | 15+ | readers who like strange apocalypse |
| All Quiet on the Western Front | Erich Maria Remarque | 14+ | readers who want a war classic |
| Scythe | Neal Shusterman | 13+ | readers who like moral questions |
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for the Games.
Best for: readers who want the start.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
A special Games follows the uprising.
Best for: readers who want book two.
3. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
A young Snow mentors a tribute.
Best for: readers who want the prequel.
4. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
The final Divergent book.
Best for: readers who like a bold series ending.
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
A girl in Nazi Germany steals books.
Best for: readers who want war and loss.
6. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
A captured spy writes her confession.
Best for: readers who like WWII heroines.
7. Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
Teens fight an invasion.
Best for: readers who like teens at war.
8. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner infiltrates the elite.
Best for: older readers who like rebellion.
9. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
A boy is trained to fight aliens.
Best for: readers who like child soldiers.
10. The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey
A girl survives an alien invasion.
Best for: readers who like survival.
11. Legend: Champion by Marie Lu
The final Legend book.
Best for: readers who like series finales.
12. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A teen considers revenge.
Best for: readers who like cycles of violence.
13. Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Teens face giant insects.
Best for: readers who like strange apocalypse.
14. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
A young soldier in WWI.
Best for: readers who want a war classic.
15. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Teens train to end lives.
Best for: readers who like moral questions.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Mockingjay: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Mockingjay. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For Panem's backstory, read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. If you want honest war stories, Code Name Verity and The Book Thief are powerful, and All Quiet on the Western Front is the classic. Readers who want rebellion in space should try Red Rising.
Related: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: Summary and Key Takeaways · Mockingjay Ending Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mockingjay about?
Katniss becomes the symbol of a rebellion and faces the costs of war.
Who does Katniss end up with?
Peeta.
Who is President Coin?
The leader of District 13, who proves dangerous.
Is Mockingjay sad?
Yes. Several beloved characters die, including Prim.
What age is it for?
It suits readers 12 and up.
Were there two films?
Yes. Mockingjay was split into Part 1 and Part 2.
What happens to Snow?
Katniss is meant to execute Snow, but she kills Coin instead.
How does Mockingjay end?
Years later, Katniss and Peeta live in District 12 with their children, still healing from the war.