The Hunger Games series and was released on September 14, 2008. "The Hunger Games" follows 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th Hunger Games in place of her younger sister Primrose Everdeen. Also selected from District 12 is Peeta Mellark. They are mentored by their district's only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy, who won 24 years earlier and has since led a solitary life of alcoholism. Peeta confesses his longtime secret love for Katniss in a televised interview prior to the Games. This revelation stuns Katniss, who harbors feelings for Gale Hawthorne, her friend and hunting partner. Haymitch
Katniss Everdeen felt dizzy when she inhaled the smell of baking bread. Then, she had the idea of looking for something, anything, in the trashcans of the wealthier people in District 12. As she was checking the bakery's trash bins, Peeta's mother caught her and yelled at her. Peeta saw this, and purposely singed some bread in the bakery. His mother screamed at him and hit him on the cheek, bruising him. She told him to throw the burned bread to their pig, but he discreetly gave it to Katniss. From this point on, she regained hope and strength to keep her