Ten years after the original trilogy was released, a beloved series will return as Scholastic took the stage at NYCC this weekend and announced both the title and cover art for a prequel to The Hunger Games, scheduled to be released on May 19, 2020.

3D mockup of ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,’ arriving May 19, 2020

Set 64 years before The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will take readers back to the Tenth Hunger Games, giving us a view into how the Games started. When asked about the setting and timing of the prequel, author Suzanne Collins said,

With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival. The reconstruction period ten years after the war commonly referred to as the Dark Days – as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet – provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will release simultaneously in print, digital, and audio formats in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Stimola Literary Study has purchased the translation rights in 28 territories to ensure the book is available in many and varied languages. The book is recommended for ages 12 and up.

More information on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, The Hunger Games series, and author Suzanne Collins can be found on the Scholastic website.