The movie has been in theaters since late March, but the books in the Hunger Games trilogy are still circulating like crazy at the Orion Township Public Library.  Even though the books were written for teens, it seems like everyone and their brother (including my own mother!) has read them.  If you’re a fan of the series and are wondering what to read next, here are three teen dystopian series to try. 

Ashfall

By Mike Mullin

After the eruption of a super volcano leaves much of the United States covered with an impassable layer of ash, 15-year-old Alex Halprin is determined to be reunited with the rest of his family, who are currently on a trip out-of-state.  Before Alex can even leave his house, he has to deal with the chaos and looting that the natural disaster has caused.  He eventually finds a travel companion, and the intense relationship they develop due to the direness of their situation was the highlight of this novel for me.  Be warned that there is no shortage of graphic violence in this post-apocalyptic tale.  Look for the sequel, Ashen Winter, in October.

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

This first book in a trilogy introduces a society in which people are divided into five opposing factions, each representing a specific quality.  Sixteen-year-old Beatrice must decide whether to stay in the faction she was born into or choose another, based on a test of her personality.  Like Katniss of the Hunger Games, Beatrice’s mental and physical strengths are put to the test and the fate of a
society on the brink of collapse might be in her hands.  Packed with action and romance, this one has been a big hit so far.  Insurgent, the second book in the series was released in May.

Lockdown

By Alexander Gordon Smith

The “Furnace” in the Escape from Furnace series refers to a wretched underground prison for juvenile offenders.  Convicted of a murder he did not commit, Alex gets a lifetime sentence and becomes obsessed with escaping, even though no one has ever gotten past the hideous monsters and giants that patrol the corridors.  The cliff-hanger ending leaves readers ready to jump into the next book in the series.