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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a 2020 dystopian young adult novel by Suzanne Collins and a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a 2020 dystopian young adult novel by Suzanne Collins and a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. Set 64 years before the original novel, it follows the young Coriolanus Snow during the 10th Hunger Games. A film adaptation, titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was released in 2023.

Background

The book was written by Suzanne Collins and expands the fictional world of Panem introduced in The Hunger Games trilogy. It focuses on the early life of Coriolanus Snow before he becomes President Snow.

Plot overview

The novel follows Snow as he is assigned to mentor a tribute in the 10th Hunger Games, exploring his ambitions and moral decline. The story also introduces Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute he mentors.

Publication and format

The novel was released in print and audiobook form on May 19, 2020. The audiobook was narrated by Santino Fontana.

Film adaptation

A feature film adaptation titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was produced and directed by Francis Lawrence and released in 2023. It is based on Collins’s 2020 novel.

Key facts

  • It is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy.
  • Published by Scholastic on May 19, 2020.
  • Set 64 years before The Hunger Games.
  • Centres on an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow during the 10th Hunger Games.
  • A film adaptation was released in 2023.
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Canadian context

The novel and its 2023 film adaptation were both widely distributed in Canada as part of the internationally popular Hunger Games franchise, which has a large Canadian readership and viewership.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a prequel?
Yes. It is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy and is set 64 years earlier.
Who wrote The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes?
It was written by American author Suzanne Collins.
Who is the main character?
The novel centres on a young Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes President Snow.
When was the book published?
It was published on May 19, 2020.
Was there a film adaptation?
Yes. The film adaptation, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was released in 2023.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ballad_of_Songbirds_and_Snakes
    Supports: Author, publication date, publisher, genre, prequel status, setting, audiobook release.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games:_The_Ballad_of_Songbirds_&_Snakes
    Supports: 2023 film adaptation, director, production, basis on the novel.
  3. The Hunger Games Wiki — https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ballad_of_Songbirds_and_Snakes
    Supports: Premise, Coriolanus Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, 10th Hunger Games context.
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games
    Supports: Franchise context, prequel relation, release timing, series setting.
  5. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolanus_Snow
    Supports: Character role in the prequel and his later identity as President Snow.