Suzanne Collins

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit ‘Clarissa Explains it All’. While working on a Kids WB show called ‘Generation O!’ she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.

When she was thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, Suzanne was struck by how unfamiliar the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, it’s much more likely you’d fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole. And if you did fall down a manhole, you’re not going to find a tea party. But what might you find ...? That’s the story of ‘Gregor the Overlander’, the first book in her five-part fantasy series, ‘The Underland Chronicles’.

Her novel ‘The Hunger Games’ was published in 2008. Inspiration was taken from flicking between TV channels showing reality TV shows and real-life war coverage. This book has just won The Red House Children’s Book Award in May 2010. The second book in the series, ‘Catching Fire’ was released in 2009 and the final book in the trilogy, ‘Mockinjay’ is due for release during 2010.

Suzanne currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

To find out more about Red House and the Children’s Book Award, visit www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk, where you can get involved with next year’s award and see the full shortlist from this year’s award.