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Quick answer: If you loved Sunrise on the Reaping, try The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Battle Royale, The Long Walk, Divergent and Red Rising. They share brutal contests, oppressive governments and young people forced to fight.
Suzanne Collins's 2025 prequel tells the story of the Second Quarter Quell, the 50th Hunger Games, from the point of view of a young Haymitch Abernathy. Readers who finish it will want more dystopian stories with high stakes and moral questions. These 15 books include other books in the series and stories that deal with the same themes of power, propaganda and survival.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want to reread |
| Catching Fire | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | series readers |
| Mockingjay | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | series readers |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want the prequel |
| Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Adult | readers who want extreme stakes |
| The Long Walk | Stephen King | Adult | readers who like simple, brutal plots |
| Divergent | Veronica Roth | 13+ | YA dystopia fans |
| The Maze Runner | James Dashner | 12+ | readers who like puzzles |
| Legend | Marie Lu | 13+ | readers who like cat-and-mouse |
| Scythe | Neal Shusterman | 13+ | readers who like moral questions |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | 16+ | older readers |
| The Giver | Lois Lowry | 12+ | readers who like ideas |
| Uglies | Scott Westerfeld | 12+ | readers who like social critique |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | 14+ | readers who like classics |
| Ender's Game | Orson Scott Card | 13+ | sci-fi fans |
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss takes her sister's place in a televised fight to the death. The book that started it all.
Best for: readers who want to reread.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Katniss and Peeta return to the arena. The middle of the trilogy and the most twisty.
Best for: series readers.
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The rebellion against the Capitol begins. The final book of the trilogy.
Best for: series readers.
4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The young Coriolanus Snow mentors a tribute in the 10th Games. A dark origin story.
Best for: readers who want the prequel.
5. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
A class of Japanese ninth graders is forced to fight until one remains. Violent and fast.
Best for: readers who want extreme stakes.
6. The Long Walk by Stephen King
One hundred boys walk until all but one die. Written as Richard Bachman, bleak and gripping.
Best for: readers who like simple, brutal plots.
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Tris chooses a faction in a divided Chicago and discovers she does not fit. Fast and popular.
Best for: YA dystopia fans.
8. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Thomas wakes in a maze with other boys and must find a way out. Mystery and suspense.
Best for: readers who like puzzles.
9. Legend by Marie Lu
June, a prodigy soldier, hunts Day, the country's most wanted criminal. Fast, with dual narrators.
Best for: readers who like cat-and-mouse.
10. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
In a world without death, scythes choose who dies. Dark, original and fast.
Best for: readers who like moral questions.
11. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Darrow infiltrates the elite on Mars. Violent and intense.
Best for: older readers.
12. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Jonas lives in a society without pain, and learns its secrets. Short and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like ideas.
13. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Tally lives in a world where everyone is made pretty at 16. Fast and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like social critique.
14. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
A group of boys on an island descends into savagery. A classic of human nature.
Best for: readers who like classics.
15. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Ender is trained to fight an alien war in space. A classic of young leaders under pressure.
Best for: sci-fi fans.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Sunrise on the Reaping: 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.
How to Choose
If you have not read the original trilogy, start there. For another prequel, read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. For extreme contests, try Battle Royale or The Long Walk. For YA dystopia, choose Divergent, Legend or Scythe. Many of these include violence against young people, so check the content before sharing with teens. A smart reading order is the original trilogy, then The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, then Sunrise on the Reaping, since the three show Panem's history from different angles. For variety, add a short, intense book like The Long Walk between them. Book clubs may enjoy discussing how each story uses media and propaganda.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sunrise on the Reaping about?
It follows Haymitch Abernathy as he is chosen for the 50th Hunger Games, the second Quarter Quell.
Do I need to read The Hunger Games first?
It is better to read the original trilogy first because the prequel contains spoilers.
Is it suitable for teens?
Yes, ages 12 and up, but the violence is strong.
Is there a movie?
A film adaptation has been announced.
Who is Haymitch?
He is the drunk mentor of Katniss and Peeta in the original trilogy, and the new book shows his past as a victor.
Is it as dark as the original?
Many readers find it darker, because it shows the Capitol's cruelty in detail.