The Hunger Games: audiobook or book, book by book
A read or listen verdict for each book, and the narrators side by side, ahead of the Sunrise on the Reaping film on 20 November 2026.
Short answer: Listen to every Hunger Games book we have checked. Katniss and Haymitch each tell their story in the first person and in order, and one actor reads each book: Tatiana Maslany for the trilogy, Jefferson White for Sunrise on the Reaping, which won Audiobook of the Year at the 2026 Audie Awards, and Santino Fontana for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. All five verdicts are clear cut, with nothing confirmed that points to print. Maslany’s three books run 32h 57m in total.
The series at a glance
| # | Book | Verdict | Audiobook | Narrator | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hunger Games | Listen, 100% | 10h 35m | Tatiana Maslany | 464 |
| 2 | Catching Fire | Listen, 100% | 11h 3m | Tatiana Maslany | 480 |
| 3 | Mockingjay | Listen, 100% | 11h 19m | Tatiana Maslany | 464 |
| Prequel | The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Listen, 100% | 16h 16m | Santino Fontana | 528 |
| Prequel | Sunrise on the Reaping | Listen, 100% | 12h 48m | Jefferson White | 416 |
Lengths from the Audible UK listings, checked 17 October 2026. Page counts are the Scholastic UK editions.
Which recording?
Tatiana Maslany reads all three original novels on Audible, in unabridged recordings released by Scholastic in 2018 and 2019. They replaced Carolyn McCormick’s readings from 2008 to 2010, which are no longer sold on Audible and are found mainly in US libraries. Every verdict for the trilogy scores Maslany’s recordings. Sunrise on the Reaping is read by Jefferson White, the actor known for Yellowstone, who reads the whole book. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is read by Santino Fontana, the Tony-winning Broadway actor, in the only recording of that book.
| Book | Narrator | Publisher and release |
|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | Tatiana Maslany | Scholastic, 30 October 2018 |
| Catching Fire | Tatiana Maslany | Scholastic Audio Books, 17 June 2019 |
| Mockingjay | Tatiana Maslany | Scholastic Audio Books, 19 June 2019 |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Santino Fontana | Scholastic Audio, 19 May 2020 |
| Sunrise on the Reaping | Jefferson White | Scholastic Audio, 18 March 2025 |
How long is the series?
| Book | Audiobook | At 1.5x | At 2x |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | 10h 35m | 7h 3m | 5h 18m |
| Catching Fire | 11h 3m | 7h 22m | 5h 32m |
| Mockingjay | 11h 19m | 7h 33m | 5h 40m |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | 16h 16m | about 10h 51m | 8h 8m |
| Sunrise on the Reaping | 12h 48m | 8h 32m | 6h 24m |
| The trilogy | 32h 57m | 21h 58m | 16h 28m |
| All four | 45h 45m | 30h 30m | 22h 52m |
| All five | 62h 1m | about 41h 21m | about 31h 1m |
Lengths from the Audible UK listings, snapshot 17 October 2026. Totals and speed times are calculated.
Reading order
Suzanne Collins’s own note favours publication order: the three original novels, then The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, then Sunrise on the Reaping. In story order the two prequels come first.
- The Hunger Games (2008)
- Catching Fire (2009)
- Mockingjay (2010)
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)
- Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)
The Sunrise on the Reaping film
The film of Sunrise on the Reaping is out on 20 November 2026 from Lionsgate, directed by Francis Lawrence. The book is told in the first person by Haymitch.
Questions people ask
Who narrates the Hunger Games audiobooks?
Tatiana Maslany reads The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, solo and unabridged, on Audible. Jefferson White reads Sunrise on the Reaping and Santino Fontana reads The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Carolyn McCormick read the original 2008 to 2010 recordings.
How long are the Hunger Games audiobooks?
The Hunger Games runs 10 hours 35 minutes, Catching Fire 11 hours 3 minutes, Mockingjay 11 hours 19 minutes, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 16 hours 16 minutes and Sunrise on the Reaping 12 hours 48 minutes. The trilogy totals 32h 57m; all five, 62h 1m.
Is the Hunger Games audiobook abridged?
No. The Hunger Games audiobook is unabridged, and there is no dramatisation or abridged English edition.
Is it the same narrator for all three Hunger Games books?
Yes. Tatiana Maslany reads all three original books on Audible. Sunrise on the Reaping is read by Jefferson White.
What order should I read the Hunger Games books in?
Publication order: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, then Sunrise on the Reaping. In story order the two prequels come first.
Did Sunrise on the Reaping win an audiobook award?
Yes. Jefferson White’s recording won Audiobook of the Year at the 2026 Audie Awards.
Should I read or listen to The Hunger Games?
Listen, on our checks. In each book one narrator reads a story told in order, and there is nothing in print that you need to see. All five books are clear cut listens, with nothing confirmed that points to print. Read the first book if you want it faster: The Hunger Games takes about 7 hours to read in print.
When is the Sunrise on the Reaping film out?
20 November 2026, from Lionsgate, directed by Francis Lawrence.
Related verdicts
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
One story told in order from one point of view, read by a praised full cast, with nothing confirmed that points to print.
Project Hail Mary
The recording uses sound to recreate the one thing the printed book shows visually.
Fourth Wing
Almost everything about its structure points to audio. The map at the front of the book, which is only in print, is the one thing that points to reading.
Start hereHow we decide
The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.
How these verdicts were reached
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions, set in advance and applied identically to every title. They are based on research into what readers and listeners generally find easier to follow in each format, not on personal preference, and they are published in full so you can check the reasoning yourself. Verdicts are never paid for, sponsored or influenced by affiliate partners.
- The criteria: read the thirteen questions in full.
- What we checked: the Audible UK listings for each recording, and the publisher listings for print length and release dates.
- Last reviewed: 23 October 2026. Editions and narrators change, so verdicts are rechecked annually.