See Panem in a whole new way with The Hunger Games illustrated edition

It's time to go back to the beginning with The Hunger Games. The recent prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes explored the origins of franchise villain Coriolanus Snow, and now Suzanne Collins' original book — the one that started it all — is getting a fresh coat of paint. This fall, Scholastic will publish a new illustrated edition of The Hunger Games.

The new version of the book — still the archetype of dystopian YA literature — will feature more than 30 black-and-white illustrations by Nico Delort, which should give a whole new look at the continent of Panem and its inhabitants.

Below, you can get an early peek at Delort's rendition of the Cornucopia (the center of every Hunger Games arena, where many weapons and supplies are stored and therefore where many tributes meet their deaths early on) and of Prim Everdeen (the younger sister who inspires series protagonist Katniss Everdeen to volunteer as tribute in her place).

“Certain illustrations made an indelible impression on me growing up, and the images are forever linked to books I love, including John Tenniel’s classic drawings for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Fritz Eichenberg’s wood engravings for Wuthering Heights," Collins said in a statement. "I’m thrilled with Nico Delort’s striking black-and-white scratchboard artwork for The Hunger Games and feel it will have the same lasting influence on a new generation of Panem readers."

After all, it's possible that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes has inspired a new generation of fans who may have missed out on the original run of books. Those new fans now have an enticing reason to check out Collins' books, while longtime fans can experience The Hunger Games in an entirely new way.

Delort's art goes back to Collins' text rather than riffing on the movies. For example, the film adaptations rendered the Cornucopia as a metallic monolith, only vaguely in the shape of a horn. Delort's rendition makes it look more like a twisted Thanksgiving decoration, as you can see here.

“Those of us who have been enthralled by the world of The Hunger Games for the past 15 years will have new reason to be spellbound, as this new illustrated edition gives us both a reason to reread the novel (which continues to resonate) and a chance to see it with new eyes, through the extraordinary vision of Nico Delort,” Scholastic editorial director David Levithan said in a new statement.

The Hunger Games Illustrated Edition will be published on Oct. 1, 2024.

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