Everyone that enjoys reading has the first book or book series they fell in love with. Maybe it was Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or maybe even The Hunger Games. From the heroes to the villains, these characters helped younger readers to develop pure enjoyment for one of the most important skills they can have. 

In the year 2023, two nostalgia-inducing works were released. The film adaptation of Suzanne Collins The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released in November of 2023.  (It is now available for rent for $19.99 on Prime.) It detailed the background of the greatly loved series The Hunger Games. 

Along with this, 2023 also marked the beginning of the screen adaptation of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians was released on Disney Plus. The series follows the story of the beloved books, which were released starting in 2005.

While these two worlds have almost nothing in common, the feelings they brought about in fans were identical. 

For The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, fans got a new story rather than simply a new adaptation. 

“I really got into the books when I was nine,” junior Amelia Milek said. “My neighborhood friends and I even used to pretend we were in the arena.”

Many fans of the original series were eager to see the new movie. 

“It still felt familiar. Moments both in and out of the arena closely reflected the main trilogy,” Milek said. 

Nearly all fans can attest to the fact that the new movie gave them a rush of nostalgia. 

“It’s very nostalgic, it’s cool how some things connect to the books,” freshman Alexis Jackson said. 

Much of the audience of the Hunger Games crosses over with another widely popular series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. 

For Percy Jackson fans, while it was not a new story, the adaptation also brought about incredible nostalgia. 

“I feel like it is mostly the same, some things are a little different, but it still has the same feeling,” junior Parker Rouech.

While the series is still being released, fans are already pleased with the work. 

“It was so cool to be able to watch the book series I love made into a show,” Rouech said. 

Overall, both adaptations lived up to expectations. The enticing stories and characters drew in both old and new fans, reviving a community.