book report on the mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

• Mockingjay Summary

The third and final novel in the Hunger Games trilogy opens with Katniss Everdeen walking through the remains of District 12, her former home. She is filled with guilt for her role in inciting the uprising and anger against President Snow for his oppressive tactics. Meanwhile, Peeta Mellark has been captured by the Capitol. After her dramatic rescue from the Quarter Quell arena, Katniss has been living in District 13 - the District all of Panem thought had been decimated, but was actually home to the Capitol's secret nuclear development program. Later, District 13 leveraged the nuclear arsenal to threaten the Capitol and gain autonomy. It is now where the rebellion is headquartered.

Katniss, Gale, her mother, and Prim all live in District 13's vast underground community and abide by President Coin's militant systems. Katniss does not quite trust Coin yet, especially since District 13 stood by and watched all the other districts suffer at the hands of the Capitol for years. However, Coin needs Katniss, the Mockingjay, to be the symbol of the rebellion and rally the other Districts' support. Katniss only agrees to the role if Coin will acquiesce to her demands. Coin publicly accepts Katniss's conditions and retaliates with one of her own: if Katniss deviates from the prescribed mission, "it will be viewed as a break in the agreement" (58).

Katniss's first duty as Mockingjay is to film "propos" - televised calls for resistance. Fulvia Cardew tries to put Katniss on a stage to perform scripted lines, but she fails so badly that it makes Haymitch laugh. Everyone soon agrees that Katniss is at her best when she is natural. In District 8, Katniss and Gale visit a makeshift hospital and meet Commander Paylor . Katniss's production team ( Cressida , Messalla , Castor , and Pollux ) film her meeting the patients. Katniss's presence inspires them to keep going. While Katniss is there, the Capitol attacks District 8, including the hospital. Katniss, riled up, is performs passionately for the camera, announcing to the Capitol: "IF WE BURN, YOU BURN WITH US!"

As a result of Katniss's statement, the Capitol televises Peeta begging her to call for a ceasefire. During the broadcast, he alerts District 13 of an imminent attack and is severely beaten. However, his warning helps the rebels quickly call for a lockdown, weathering the three-day attack without any casualties. Katniss feels so guilty about Peeta's circumstances that she can no longer fulfill her duties as Mockingjay. After the lockdown is lifted, the rebels decide to mount a mission to rescue Peeta (and Annie). Meanwhile, Katniss and Finnick film new propos in which Finnick reveals all the secrets he knows about prominent Capitol citizens.

The rescue is successful and Peeta, Annie Cresta , and Johanna Mason all return to District 13. Katniss is overjoyed to see Peeta, but his first reaction to her presence is an attempt to strangle her. She finds out that the Capitol has "hijacked" Peeta; he is now programmed to think that Katniss is his mortal enemy. Meanwhile, Katniss is needed in District Two, which is the only holdout in the uprising. In order to gain control over 2, the rebels must crack "the Nut," the mountain in which the Capitol keeps all its weaponry. Gale comes up with the ruthless idea to create avalanches - which would disarm the Capitol but also trap all the innocent District 2 miners inside.

Katniss voices her dissent but President Coin supports Gale's plan, and it succeeds. Katniss, though shaken, must use this opportunity to demand the Capitol step down since it's clear they are losing ground. However, while she is filming, two trains full of survivors come careening out of the Nut, many of them armed. The battle starts anew, but Katniss can't take it anymore. She tries to negotiate with the District 2 survivors and is shot in the process.

Back in District 13, Peeta has become calmer but still addresses Katniss in a nasty tone. For the first time, loyal Peeta can see Katniss's flaws, and she does not like it one bit. Meanwhile, Finnick and Annie get married. After the rebels have had time to regroup, they start to prepare for the final battle: taking down the Capitol. Katniss is assigned to Squad 451 (a group of Sharpshooters led by Boggs ).

Katniss and Gale are disappointed to find out that Squad 451 will be the "Star Squad," or the public face of the rebellion. This means that they will not be active in battle. They do not have a choice but to fight, though, when a "pod" kills Soldier Leeg 2. Coin quickly sends a replacement: Peeta (who still is wired to kill Katniss). Suddenly, Katniss realizes that Coin wants her dead. The Star Squad faces tragedy again while filming a complex fake battle sequence - Boggs triggers a pod that blows off his legs. Another pod unleashes a wave of toxic black gel, and yet another kills Soldier Mitchell. Before Boggs dies, he transfers his Holo (like a GPS of the Capitol that points out the pods) to Katniss and tells her not to go back to District 13.

Squad 451 moves forward through the Capitol with Katniss in the lead. A televised Capitol broadcast proclaims that the members of Squad 451 are dead. After watching himself nearly kill Katniss on television, Peeta decides that he should die, and only Katniss can talk him into continuing. Pollux leads them into the maintenance shafts below the Capitol. But Snow is one step ahead of them and as they find themselves getting closer to his mansion, he unleashes a pack of wild reptilian mutts. Only Pollux, Gale, Cressida, Peeta, and Katniss manage to escape alive. Cressida leads them into a grimy store selling fur underwear run by Tigris , a former Hunger Games stylist and rebellion sympathizer. Tigris offers Squad 451 refuge in her hidden basement.

The next day, most of the Capitol citizens have been evacuated. Upon hearing that the more fortunate Capitol homes (even President Snow's) are taking in refugees, Katniss decides to refocus on her mission to kill Snow. Tigris disguises the rebels and they take off - Cressida and Pollux are the guides, Katniss and Gale are the refugees looking for shelter, and Peeta is there to create a distraction if needed. They are quickly separated and Katniss reaches Snow's mansion alone. She sees Capitol children gathered on his lawn - a human shield for Snow. Then, a Capitol hovercraft appears above the children and drops bombs on them. Just as the rebel medics (including Prim) rush in to help, the bombs explode again. Prim is killed and Katniss is badly burned.

When Katniss awakens in a Capitol hospital, the rebels have won the war and Coin rules over Panem. When wandering around the President's mansion in a daze, Katniss comes upon the fallen President Snow, chained and dying in a a room full of roses. He tells her that Coin orchestrated the attack that killed Prim. While Katniss and Snow were focused on destroying each other, Coin managed to manipulate them both and take over Panem without compromising District 13. Katniss takes some time to deal with this news, but Snow's assertions are solidified when Coin suggests holding a Hunger Games with Capitol children. During the victory ceremony, Katniss fires her ceremonial arrow into Coin, even though Snow is standing right next to her.

Katniss is drugged and held in the mansion for weeks until Haymitch comes to fetch her. He tells her that her trial is over - Plutarch and Dr. Aurelius argued that Katniss acted out of insanity, securing her freedom. She's now free to go home to District 12. Commander Paylor is now president. Back in District 12, Katniss struggles to put herself back together. Gale gets a fancy job in District 2, and Katniss's mother is starting a hospital in District 4. Soon, Peeta returns to District 12 and he and Katniss grow back together.

In the epilogue, Katniss shares that she ended up with Peeta because she needed his faith and loyalty more than Gale's inner fire (since she has enough of her own). 20 years later, they have children - a girl and a boy. Even though Katniss and Peeta are still haunted by their Hunger Games experiences, they are moving on - together.

Mockingjay Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Mockingjay is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What is the technique Katniss uses to un-jumble her thoughts, or make things clear in her mind?

From the text:

I use a technique one of the doctors suggested. I start with the simplest things I know to be true and work toward the more complicated. The list begins to roll in my head.... My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old....

What did Katniss realize After Visiting the Remains of District 12

What chapter are you referring to? In Chapter 1 She is burdened by a deep feeling of guilt for their (District 12) demise, but she also blames the rebels in District 13 who drew Katniss into their mission to overthrow the Capitol without her even...

After visiting the remains of district 12, what did Katniss realize?

Do you mean when she returns with Gale? What chapter are you referring to?

Study Guide for Mockingjay

Mockingjay study guide contains a biography of Suzanne Collins, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Mockingjay
• Character List

Lesson Plan for Mockingjay

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Mockingjay
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Mockingjay Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Mockingjay

• Introduction
• Inspiration and development
• Publication history

63 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Part 1, Chapter 6-Part 2, Chapter 10

Part 2, Chapters 11-15

Part 2, Chapter 16-Part 3, Chapter 20

Part 3, Chapters 21-25

Part 3, Chapter 26-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Mockingjay , published in 2010 by Scholastic, is the third novel in Suzanne Collins’s bestselling Hunger Games series. The series follows the life of Katniss Everdeen , an adolescent girl living in the futuristic dystopia of Panem. Mockingjay focuses on the civil war between the 13 districts of Panem and the oppressive government of the Capitol. Through Katniss’s experiences in the war, Collins explores cycles of oppression, the meaning of love in wartime , and the power of propaganda.

Like its precursors in the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay achieved massive commercial success. It was adapted into two films in the corresponding film series: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) and Mockingjay Part 2 (2015). Mockingjay was named a 2010 Best YA Book of the Year by Kirkus and Publishers’ Weekly.

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This guide refers digital version of the 2010 Scholastic Press edition.

Content Warning: Mockingjay contains graphic depictions of violence and war. This guide also contains discussions of sexual exploitation, suicidal ideation, and drug and alcohol abuse.

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Plot Summary

Mockingjay begins during a war between the 13 districts of Panem and the Capitol. Katniss Everdeen, whose subversive actions during the 74th and 75th Hunger Games catalyzed the rebellion and the subsequent war, surveys the rubble of her home in District 12. The coal mining District 12 has been leveled by a Capitol firebombing attack that killed most of its population. Katniss’s childhood best friend, Gale Hawthorne , managed to save many people. The survivors of the bombing have been taken in by the neighboring District 13, the rebellion’s epicenter.

Katniss feels immense guilt at the knowledge she indirectly brought on the attack. She still struggles with traumatic memories of her time in the Hunger Games, where she had to kill several people in self-defense and watched countless others die. Katniss’s friend, love interest and fellow victor, Peeta Mellark , has been captured and imprisoned by President Coriolanus Snow .

Katniss returns to District 13, where she lives with her mother, her little sister, Primrose “Prim” Everdeen. Seventy-five years before the events of Mockingjay, District 13 led an unsuccessful rebellion against the Capitol. The district went underground when it became clear that the rebels would lose the war. Now, it’s run by President Alma Coin , a ruthless leader dead set on overthrowing Snow and installing a representative democracy. Coin recognizes the rebels’ need for a shared symbol to unify the districts against the Capitol. She asks Katniss to take on the role of the Mockingjay, the televised face of the rebellion. Katniss hesitates due to her history of being manipulated by the Capitol’s government but eventually agrees. In exchange for her cooperation, she negotiates terms should the rebels win the war: immunity for Peeta and the right to kill Snow herself. As she navigates her new role, she confides in Gale.

Katniss worries for Peeta, who is still in the Capitol. In televised propaganda interviews, an increasingly haggard Peeta begs for a ceasefire, warning that the war could destroy all of Panem. Katniss suspects that Snow is having Peeta tortured and wonders whether his words are scripted by the Capitol.

As the Mockingjay, Katniss begins to film propaganda pieces or “propos” highlighting the Capitol’s cruelty and the districts’ resilience. The propos fulfill their goal of uniting the districts but provoke vengeance from Snow. In his next interview, Peeta warns District 13 of an upcoming attack by the Capitol, allowing them to go on lockdown in time to avoid casualties.

Katniss is too worried about Peeta’s fate to perform her Mockingjay duties, so Coin organizes a rescue mission to the Capitol. The mission is a success, but when Peeta returns, the rebels learn he has been subjected to a form of memory conditioning called hijacking. The Capitol has brainwashed Peeta into perceiving Katniss as a deadly threat, and upon seeing her, he attempts to kill her. With the help of his medical team, Peeta slowly begins to recover his memories. Meanwhile, Katniss learns that Gale is planning out increasingly brutal war tactics, notably a double bomb designed to lure in medical responders and then kill them.

Katniss journeys to District 2, the only district still allied with the Capitol. Gale devises a plan to attack the district’s military epicenter, which involves heavy civilian casualties. Despite Katniss’s reservations, the plan succeeds, and the rebels take District 2. Coin reluctantly lets Katniss join the final rebel mission to the Capitol. She is placed on a squad that includes Gale, Peeta, and Katniss’s friend Finnick Odair. Katniss plans to defect from the group to hunt down and kill Snow.

In the Capitol, the group encounters streets rigged with deadly booby traps, a tactic reminiscent of the Hunger Games arenas. They eventually reach the heart of the battle in the city center, but Finnick and several other members are killed along the way.

As Katniss and Gale set out for Snow’s mansion, chaos breaks out, and Gale is arrested by Capitol police officers known as Peacekeepers. Katniss continues alone. Outside Snow’s mansion, a group of children has been formed into a human shield. Capitol hovercrafts appear and drop bombs on the children. Katniss recognizes her sister Prim among the crowd of people rushing to help. A second round of bombs detonates, killing Prim and knocking Katniss unconscious.

When Katniss awakes, suffering from severe burns, she learns that the war is over. Snow has been captured, and the rebels have won. Coin steps up as the new president of Panem, canceling the democratic elections that she promised earlier in the novel. Katniss visits Snow in the lead-up to his execution. Snow tells her that it was the rebels, not the Capitol, who dropped the bombs that killed Prim. Coin has been using the Mockingjay as a tool to distract him, wasting his resources and distracting him from the real threat in the districts.

On the day of Snow’s scheduled execution, Coin announces that Panem will hold one final Hunger Games. As a punishment for the Capitol, all of the tributes will be the children of Capitol citizens. Katniss recognizes Coin as a tyrant. When the time comes for her to execute Snow publicly, she instead kills Coin. Katniss is briefly imprisoned but freed after a public trial in which her friends argue that the trauma of the war deranged her.

Gale is installed in a powerful role in the new rebel government. Katniss severs her relationship with him entirely, realizing she does not need his cold, vindictive nature in a partner. She returns home to District 12, reuniting with a fully de-conditioned Peeta. They rekindle their romance.

Mockingjay concludes with an epilogue set 15 years after the rebellion. Katniss and Peeta have two small children. The Hunger Games have been banned and are now taught as a cautionary tale. Katniss and Peeta still suffer from the long-term effects of their trauma, but they survive by remembering the goodness in the world.

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Suzanne Collins

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Suzanne Collins's Mockingjay . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Mockingjay: Introduction

Mockingjay: plot summary, mockingjay: detailed summary & analysis, mockingjay: themes, mockingjay: quotes, mockingjay: characters, mockingjay: symbols, mockingjay: theme wheel, brief biography of suzanne collins.

Historical Context of Mockingjay

Other books related to mockingjay.

• Full Title: Mockingjay
• Where Written: Sandy Hook, Connecticut, United States
• When Published: August 24, 2010
• Literary Period: The young adult “boom” of the 2000s
• Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
• Setting: Various parts of the country of Panem (a futuristic North America)
• Climax: Katniss kills President Alma Coin
• Antagonist: President Coriolanus Snow / President Alma Coin
• Point of View: First person

Extra Credit for Mockingjay

From page to screen: Mockingjay has been made into not one but two films: Mockingjay—Part 1 and Mockingjay—Part 2 . The former was released in 2014, and earned many hundreds of millions of dollars; the latter is scheduled for release in November 2015.

A myth-lover: It’s no secret that The Hunger Games borrows names and phrases from Greco-Roman mythology and history: Caesar, Plutarch, Coriolanus, and Alma are all classical allusions. Collins has admitted to being a lover of Greek and Roman culture—even when she was a child, she loved to study Greek history in school.

By Suzanne Collins

'Mockingjay' is the third and final installment of the *Hunger Games" trilogy. It is one of the most successful books in the Young Adult genre.

About the Book

Article written by Neesha Thunga K

B.A. in English Literature, and M.A. in English Language and Literature.

The novel provides an extremely satisfying conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy. The writing is excellent, and the action in the novel is thrilling. A good amount of character development occurs, especially for the main characters of the novel. But the standouts in the novel include Collins’ exceptional use of symbols and her portrayal of the dangers of power.

Clever Use of Symbolism

Suzanne Collins is a master at using symbolism in her novels. Two of the most predominant symbols used in Mockingjay include the white roses that are the accessory of choice for President Snow and the game of Crazy Cat invented by Katniss.

The roses that President Snow wears are the average white rose in his lapel. They are genetically modified to produce a sickly sweet scent. These roses have a multitude of meanings in the novel. Firstly, Snow wears these roses to mask the scent of blood in his mouth, which is constantly present due to blood sores. According to Finnick , Snow made his way to the top by poisoning everyone in his way, but he would drink a little bit of the poison to allay suspicion. This is what resulted in permanent blood sores in his mouth.

Secondly, the scent of the roses makes Katniss physically ill, as she associates the scent with President Snow’s ruthless nature. Every time she smells them, she is reminded of the fact that he has enough power to kill her loved ones. This is especially true of Peeta, who is currently in a vulnerable state at the Capitol . Snow also uses the roses to send Katniss messages throughout the novel.

Further, towards the end of the novel, Katniss throws a white rose into the fire in her house, proving that fire is capable of burning roses, much like she was capable of setting fire to President Snow’s power regime. Lastly, roses also become a source of healing for Katniss – in the form of primroses. The primroses that Peeta plants in front of Katniss’s house allow her to heal from her sister’s death and the horrors of war.

Similarly, Crazy Cat – a game invented by Katniss during the lockdown of District 13 – acts as a symbol both within the novel and outside it. Katniss plays the game with her sister’s cat, Buttercup . The game involves flashing lights on the ground and watching in amusement as the cat tries to capture the light in vain. Katniss soon finds out that Buttercup only plays the game when the light is just near enough to be reachable, but he gives up quickly when the light is too far away.

The reason Crazy Cat is an important symbol in Mockingjay is that Katniss realizes that it is the same game that President Snow is playing with her. By keeping Peeta alive, Snow is offering her just enough hope to keep her within control. However, she realizes that he could kill Peeta at any second, at which point he would lose any hold over Katniss. This means that Snow is going to continue torturing Peeta as long as Katniss is on the side of the rebellion.

Crazy Cat is of special importance because it reflects the nature of games played by those in power. This way, Collins uses a combination of symbols to not only take the plot forward but also act as a commentary on warfare and the military history of the world.

Other symbols that are of prominent importance include the Mockingjay bird, of course, and Katniss herself, who becomes a symbol of the rebellion. The arena tokens that Katniss carries around also act as important symbols that help remind her of the atrocities she has faced, and the safety she feels in District 13. 

The Dangers of Power

Throughout the Hunger Games novels, Collins has depicted the struggle for control and the dangerous nature of power. However, in Mockingjay, she takes it to the next level. Here, several people are vying for control over Panem . First, there is President Snow who is struggling to maintain his position as ruler and dictator. Then, there are the rebels from District 13, who wish to establish democracy.

There is also President Coin, the leader of the rebellion, who wishes to overthrow President Snow only to take his place. And finally, there is Katniss, who is unwittingly caught up in the power struggle and has an incredible amount of influence over the districts . Too much power is a dangerous thing, no matter in whose hands it is, and Collins depicts this through the Hunger Games which is suggested by President Coin.

When the rebels have won, President Coin calls for a symbolic Hunger Games, that is, the Hunger Games to end all Hunger Games. However, the very notion of another Hunger Games, just when they have been freed from it, is barbaric to people. This is when Katniss realizes that Coin is just as bad as Snow, and she makes the radical decision to kill her. Thus, Collins warns us that when power is left in the hands of one person for too long, it can be dangerous. As such, she sends out a strong message that a democracy – where people’s representatives rule the nation – is the right foot forward for any nation to be fully free.

Mockingjay as a Conclusion

Mockingjay brings Katniss’s story to an end. Katniss ties up all of her loose ends, killing President Snow and obtaining freedom from the districts . Her sister has died in the fight, but Katniss now has another person to live for – Peeta.

Collins provides us with an intriguing, yet satisfying epilogue, where we see Katniss and Peeta happily married with two children. They are still haunted by their nightmares, but they remind themselves that the atrocities of the Capitol are in the past. They understand that their children will learn about them in history books and try to teach them not to repeat the same mistakes that Panem committed, from a young age.

The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale also comes to a satisfying conclusion. Unfortunately, Gale’s enthusiasm for war has resulted in casualties on the side of the rebels – including Katniss’s sister, Primrose. There is no way to tell whether it was one of Gale’s death traps that killed Prim or not, but the likelihood is high enough for Katniss to be repulsed by Gale. She is thus left with a clear choice – Peeta, who is strong, gentle, and capable of muting the fire within her and providing her the safety and security she needs.

What does the symbol Katniss mean?

In the last book of the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay , Katniss becomes a symbol of the rebellion. She is often referred to as the Mockingjay, a bird that has been appropriated for the rebellion.

Does Haymitch die?

No, Haymitch does not die in the Hunger Games trilogy. He is a shrewd victor from District 12 who is determined to keep Katniss alive for the rebellion.

Why did District 11 riot when Rue died?

Katniss shows an incredible amount of humanity when her friend Rue dies in The Hunger Games . Because of this, the people of District 11 decided to honor Katniss and Rue’s memory by performing the three-finger salute .

Why does Peeta kill Katniss?

Peeta tries to kill Katniss in Mockingjay after he is rescued. This is because he has been “hijacked” by the Capitol, i.e., brainwashed into thinking that Katniss is a mutt created by the Capitol and a threat to his life.

Mockingjay Review: A Satisfying End to the 'Hunger Games'

Book Title: Mockingjay

Book Description: 'Mockingjay,' the finale of the Hunger Games trilogy, delivers a fast-paced, action-filled conclusion, adeptly exploring themes of power, warfare, and political conflict.

Book Author: Suzanne Collins

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Scholastic Press

Date published: August 24, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-545-22350-8

Number Of Pages: 384

• Writing Style
• Lasting effect on the reader

Mockingjay Review

Mockingjay is the last installment of the Hunger Games trilogy and it does not disappoint. It lives up to the expectations of the readers and delivers a satisfying conclusion. It is fast-paced, action-packed, and well-written, with clever use of symbolism. The novel perfectly showcases the dangers of power and accomplishes its goal of introducing the themes of warfare and political conflict to Young Adults.

• Fast-paced and action-packed
• Unpredictable twists throughout
• Captures political conflict well
• Good world-building
• Might be too rushed in the end
• Some plot points are weak

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About Neesha Thunga K

Neesha, born to a family of avid readers, has devoted several years to teaching English and writing for various organizations, making an impact on the literary community.

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Suzanne Collins

• Literature Notes
• Mockingjay at a Glance
• Book Summary
• Character List and Analysis
• Katniss Everdeen
• Peeta Mellark
• Gale Hawthorne
• Primrose (Prim) Everdeen
• Haymitch Abernathy
• President Coin
• President Snow
• Finnick Odair
• Minor Characters
• Character Map
• Summary and Analysis
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 1
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 2
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 3
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 4
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 5
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 6
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 7
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 8
• Part 1: "The Ashes": Chapter 9
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 10
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 11
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 12
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 13
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 14
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 15
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 16
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 17
• Part 2: “The Assault”: Chapter 18
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 19
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 20
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 21
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 22
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 23
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 24
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 25
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 26
• Part 3: “The Assassin”: Chapter 27
• Epilogue: Chapter 27
• Cite this Literature Note

Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay begins in the midst of a war, a revolution led against President Snow and the Capitol by rebels who have taken refuge in the previously believed destroyed District 13. Katniss agrees to be the Mockingjay, the face of the rebellion, to rally those fighting for the cause, but fulfilling this role becomes increasingly difficult as the Capitol uses Peeta against her. While there is no official Hunger Games in this novel, Katniss recognizes that she is fighting in just that. The rules in these Games, however, are different because more than one person can survive, and Snow is a player as well. Katniss’ ultimate goals are to kill Snow and save Peeta; these are the thoughts that drive her forward during her grueling transformation into the Mockingjay.

Written by: Suzanne Collins

Type of Work: Novel, third in a trilogy

Genre: Science fiction

First Published: 2010

Setting: Panem, District 13, the Capitol, a post-apocalyptic world

Main Characters: Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne, Primrose (Prim) Everdeen, Haymitch Abernathy, President Coin, President Snow, Finnick Odair

Major Thematic Topics: Masks, deception, psychological manipulation, game-playing, identity, death and rebirth

Motifs: Real versus unreal

Major symbols: Mockingjay, knots, tying and untying a rope, fire

Movie Versions: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 (2014)

The three most important aspects of Mockingjay : Throughout the novel, Katniss tries to discover her identity as the Mockingjay. With many references to birds and wings, seen everywhere from the hummingbirds in District 13 to Katniss’ wing-like bow, Katniss is constantly reminded of the transformation she must undergo. With every step forward she takes in the rebellion, Katniss is searching for her wings. Believing at first that such transformation is a graceful, effortless process, she finds that turning into the Mockingjay is a painful, struggle-filled experience.

The ongoing motif of real or not real applies most obviously to Peeta. As Peeta works to sort out his memories — his real memories from the manipulated ones — he must constantly ask others, “Real or not real?” He’s trying to uncover his real identity and his true feelings for Katniss amidst a tangled weave of manipulated memories. Similarly, Katniss must struggle to decide whom she really loves, Peeta or Gale. Not only that, but Katniss is continuously faced with questions of whom she can trust, including at the end of the novel when President Snow reveals what he claims is the truth about President Coin. Additionally, the camera crew uses fake smoke and gunshots to add drama to propos, or propaganda spots, manipulating reality once again.

The cycle between death and rebirth is another strong thread throughout the narrative. Beginning with ashes in the first section, the novel progresses with many instances of more death: the physical death of those who die in war, as well as the emotional death of loved ones stricken by their losses. Characters struggle to carry on with their lives, including Finnick, Peeta, and Katniss, all of whom emerge from these struggles reborn with new life. At times, the natural setting mirrors this, moving from the ashes to the wintry war to spring at the end, where there is hope.

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Almost two years after Suzanne Collins first burst onto bestseller lists with her dystopian young-adult thriller in which 24 children are dressed up in costumes and forced to compete to the death before a television audience, the final act of the “Hunger Games” trilogy is upon us. One minute after midnight Monday, “Mockingjay” will finally be available to readers, bringing a wrenching conclusion to the tale of a country in chaos and the 17-year-old protagonist who caused it.

Fans aren’t likely to be disappointed.

Difficult as it would seem to top the ingenuity and action-packed, edge-of-your-seat storyline of “The Hunger Games,” or the continued, in-the-ring thrill ride of its follow-up, “Catching Fire,” “Mockingjay” leaves the government’s kid-on-kid hunting grounds and heads into the destitute reality of the districts, which have come under heavy fire from the Capitol for rising up against its superficial and oppressive leadership.

Opening with the dreary aftermath of “Catching Fire’s” concluding line, “Mockingjay” begins with Katniss Everdeen wandering through the wreckage of her district 12 hometown, tripping over skulls and breathing in the ashes of the incinerated bodies that used to be her neighbors. More than 90% of those neighbors are dead; the rest have been relocated to district 13, an area that was thought to be abandoned but is very much alive. Forced underground 75 years earlier in an era known as the Dark Days — an era that led to the annual children’s bloodletting known as the Hunger Games — district 13’s residents have spurred the present uprising, and they’re looking to Katniss to rile up the rest of the districts and overthrow the pale-skinned President Snow, who’s made no secret of his dislike for Katniss and her rebellious unpredictability.

Snow has captured Peeta — the boy Katniss didn’t kill in the first Hunger Games, and with whom Katniss is in love. Or is she? Like the first two books in the series, “Mockingjay” continues the love triangle between Katniss, a headstrong nihilist forced to save her country from self-inflicted annihilation; Peeta, the fresh-faced and sweet-hearted boy whom she kissed in front of the omnipresent cameras; and Gale, the hunting partner with whom she grew up who could easily become something more. It takes a while, but “Mockingjay” finally settles the question of Katniss’ true affections.

And it takes some truly surprising twists and turns to get there. Unfolding in Collins’ engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn’t-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears.

Where “The Hunger Games” set the stage for the unusual post-apocalyptic world in which Katniss first rose up from her inconsequential and impoverished life as an ace archer to win fame as a killer with a heart (and to become an unpredictable antihero for the masses), and “Catching Fire” uses that same stage to prime the pump for a brewing rebellion, “Mockingjay” takes readers into new territories and an even more brutal and confusing world: one where it’s unclear what sides the characters are on, one where presumed loyalties are repeatedly stood on their head.

While there’s no doubt “Mockingjay” is fictional, with its surgically altered cast of characters and a host of Armageddon-esque settings and clever gadgets that would be equally appropriate in a James Bond film, the series’ conclusion is the clearest interpretation of Collins’ inspiration for the series, which was born from channel surfing between reality TV and news coverage of the Iraq war, where the lines between young people competing for money and young people fighting in an actual war blurred in the author’s mind.

Much of the action takes place on a battlefield akin to Iraq — where innocent civilians are murdered to further a cause and each side resorts to unsavory tactics that could lead to a terrorist label. More maudlin than the first two books in the series, “Mockingjay” is also the most violent and bloody and, based on the actions and statements of its characters, its most overtly antiwar — though not so much that it distracts from a series conclusion that is nearly as shocking, and certainly every bit as original and thought provoking, as “The Hunger Games.”

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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:.

When THE HUNGER GAMES was published two years ago, I initially started listening to the book on CD. After a few hours of that, though, I found myself at my local children's bookstore, buying a print copy instead. It turns out that the audiobook narration, although adept and exciting, just couldn't keep up with how fast I wanted to ingest Suzanne Collins's harrowing story. Caught up in the action, I wanted to find out what happened next at a pace faster than the narrator could read aloud. So, like countless other fans, I devoured the rest of the book at breakneck pace, did the same with its sequel, CATCHING FIRE, when it released last year, and spent the last several months eagerly awaiting the final installment of the series.

Well, MOCKINGJAY is here, and a satisfactory conclusion it is indeed. Although it lacks the sort of concentrated, stage-managed drama necessitated by the "games" structuring the THE HUNGER GAMES and CATCHING FIRE, the freer form of the storytelling matches the increased complexity of Collins's plot and themes. She doesn't spend a lot of time getting readers up to speed (note: if you haven't read the first two novels in the trilogy yet, do yourself a huge favor and do that first), instead dropping right in on a Katniss who is confused, weakened and disoriented following the devastation at the close of CATCHING FIRE. She's unsure who to trust, deeply ambivalent about her own role in the mounting rebellion against the Capitol, and distraught in the wake of so much loss.

Eventually, however, Katniss agrees to fulfill the role the leaders of the rebellion intended for her --- to become the Mockingjay, the public face of the rebellion. In interviews, promotional videos and skirmishes that are (of course) televised throughout the districts, Katniss is an inspiration to millions, a fact that she only fully understands when she ventures into other deeply damaged but still hopeful and fighting districts: "I begin to fully understand the lengths to which people have gone to protect me," Katniss comments.

"What I mean to the rebels. My ongoing struggle against the Capitol, which has so often felt like a solitary journey, has not been undertaken alone. I have had thousands upon thousands of people from the districts at my side. I was their Mockingjay long before I accepted the role."

Meanwhile, however, Katniss's Hunger Games partner and love interest, Peeta, is being held captive, publicly turned against Katniss and the other rebels, shattering Katniss's trust and forcing her to question everything she thought she knew. And as Katniss and her friends and fellow Hunger Games Victors are sent into dangerous, highly orchestrated missions, she begins to wonder whether the ends justify the means and even, finally, whether it's possible to have "ends" at all.

Collins's countless fans will be eager not only to see how she addresses the complicated political situations she has set up in the first two novels, but also to learn whether and how Katniss resolves the conflicts being waged in her heart, as she struggles to love either Gale or Peeta, both of whom --- like everyone in Katniss's world --- are damaged in their own ways. At first, it looks like Collins might take the easy way out, using external forces to make Katniss's decision for her; rest assured, though, that Katniss must eventually find her own way here as elsewhere.

Although the suspense in MOCKINGJAY is perhaps of a less obvious variety, it is no less palpable than in the previous trilogy installments. Palpable, too, is the anti-war sentiment, stronger here even than in Collins's earlier novels. But amid staggering losses, impossibly high stakes, and indelible scars both visible and invisible, hope, fragile and rare like the mockingjay's song, still abides.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl on August 24, 2010

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

• Publication Date: August 24, 2010
• Genres: Fantasy , Science Fiction , Young Adult 13+
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• ISBN-10: 0439023513
• ISBN-13: 9780439023511

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The final book of The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

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Trump VP contender Kristi Noem writes of killing dog – and goat – in new book

South Dakota governor includes bloody tale in campaign volume – and admits ‘a better politician … wouldn’t tell the story here’

• Who will be Trump’s VP? A shortlist

In 1952, as a Republican candidate for vice-president, Richard Nixon stirred criticism by admitting receiving a dog, Checkers , as a political gift.

In 2012, as the Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney was pilloried for tying a dog , Seamus, to the roof of the family car for a cross-country trip.

But in 2024 Kristi Noem , a strong contender to be named running mate to Donald Trump , the presumptive Republican nominee, has managed to go one further – by admitting killing a dog of her own.

“Cricket was a wirehair pointer, about 14 months old,” the South Dakota governor writes in a new book, adding that the dog, a female, had an “aggressive personality” and needed to be trained to be used for hunting pheasant.

What unfolds over the next few pages shows how that effort went very wrong indeed – and, remarkably, how Cricket was not the only domestic animal Noem chose to kill one day in hunting season.

Noem’s book – No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward – will be published in the US next month. The Guardian obtained a copy.

Like other aspirants to be Trump’s second vice-president who have ventured into print , Noem offers readers a mixture of autobiography, policy prescriptions and political invective aimed at Democrats and other enemies, all of it raw material for speeches on the campaign stump.

She includes her story about the ill-fated Cricket, she says, to illustrate her willingness, in politics as well as in South Dakota life, to do anything “difficult, messy and ugly” if it simply needs to be done.

By taking Cricket on a pheasant hunt with older dogs, Noem says, she hoped to calm the young dog down and begin to teach her how to behave. Unfortunately, Cricket ruined the hunt, going “out of her mind with excitement, chasing all those birds and having the time of her life”.

Noem describes calling Cricket, then using an electronic collar to attempt to bring her under control. Nothing worked. Then, on the way home after the hunt, as Noem stopped to talk to a local family, Cricket escaped Noem’s truck and attacked the family’s chickens, “grabb[ing] one chicken at a time, crunching it to death with one bite, then dropping it to attack another”.

Cricket the untrainable dog, Noem writes, behaved like “a trained assassin”.

When Noem finally grabbed Cricket, she says, the dog “whipped around to bite me”. Then, as the chickens’ owner wept, Noem repeatedly apologised, wrote the shocked family a check “for the price they asked, and helped them dispose of the carcasses littering the scene of the crime”.

Through it all, Noem says, Cricket was “the picture of pure joy”.

“I hated that dog,” Noem writes, adding that Cricket had proved herself “untrainable”, “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog”.

“At that moment,” Noem says, “I realised I had to put her down.”

Noem, who also represented her state in Congress for eight years, got her gun, then led Cricket to a gravel pit.

“It was not a pleasant job,” she writes, “but it had to be done. And after it was over, I realised another unpleasant job needed to be done.”

Incredibly, Noem’s tale of slaughter is not finished.

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Her family, she writes, also owned a male goat that was “nasty and mean”, because it had not been castrated. Furthermore, the goat smelled “disgusting, musky, rancid” and “loved to chase” Noem’s children, knocking them down and ruining their clothes.

Noem decided to kill the unnamed goat the same way she had just killed Cricket the dog. But though she “dragged him to a gravel pit”, the goat jumped as she shot and therefore survived the wound. Noem says she went back to her truck, retrieved another shell, then “hurried back to the gravel pit and put him down”.

At that point, Noem writes, she realised a construction crew had watched her kill both animals. The startled workers swiftly got back to work, she writes, only for a school bus to arrive and drop off Noem’s children.

“Kennedy looked around confused,” Noem writes of her daughter, who asked: “Hey, where’s Cricket?”

On Friday, reaction to news of Noem’s description of killing her dog and her goat included satire, the Barack Obama adviser turned podcaster Tommy Vietor calling the governor “Jeffrey Dahmer with veneers”, a reference to a famous serial killer and a recent scandal over Noem’s cosmetic dentistry treatment .

But most responses, particularly from dog lovers and people who hunt with dogs, simply expressed disgust.

Rick Wilson, of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, called Noem “deliberately cruel” and “trash”. Ryan Busse, the Democratic candidate for governor of Montana, said : “Anyone who has ever owned a birddog knows how disgusting, lazy and evil this is. Damn.”

Noem herself posted a screengrab of the Guardian report – and an admission that she recently “put down three horses”.

“We love animals,” she said, “but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down three horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years.”

The governor also said her book contained “more real, honest and politically incorrect stories that’ll have the media gasping”.

In the book, however, she sums up her story about Cricket the dog and the unnamed, un-castrated goat with what may prove a contender for the greatest understatement of election year: “I guess if I were a better politician I wouldn’t tell the story here.”

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The Picture Show

An immersive museum in kansas city allows kids to explore their favorite books.

Katie Currid

Lindsey Anderson sits down to read Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina to her children Orion, 6, Arthur, 4, and Thora Hoke, 1, inside the exhibit inspired by the book inside The Rabbit hOle, an immersive museum dedicated to children's literature, in North Kansas City, Mo. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Lindsey Anderson sits down to read Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina to her children Orion, 6, Arthur, 4, and Thora Hoke, 1, inside the exhibit inspired by the book inside The Rabbit hOle, an immersive museum dedicated to children's literature, in North Kansas City, Mo.

In children's museums around the country, there are a lot of similar exhibits: the water exploration table, the kid-sized grocery store, the colorful jungle gym. But at The Rabbit hOle, an innovative and immersive museum dedicated to children's literature that opened on March 12 in North Kansas City, Mo., you won't find those things, which is exactly what co-founder Pete Cowdin intended.

"There's so much repetition, there's so much sameness, because most of the exhibits and most of the museums around the country for children are built by a handful of design companies," Cowdin says. "All those things are fine, but I do think that there's room for a different kind of experience."

Cowdin co-founded The Rabbit hOle with his wife, Deb Pettid, after years as booksellers and owners of a beloved Kansas City children's bookstore, the Reading Reptile. Now, the two are leading a revolutionary space in a 150,000-square-foot former warehouse, employing over 20 full-time artists and fabricators to bring children's books to life in interactive exhibits.

Casey Sackin explores the entrance to the museum. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Casey Sackin explores the entrance to the museum.

A mouse on a bike from the book Anatole , by Eve Titus, rides around a display of Paris. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

A mouse on a bike from the book Anatole , by Eve Titus, rides around a display of Paris.

"We want to bring more critical culture to children's literature," Cowdin says, "not in a way to tear it down, but to call up the things that are actually taking away from the art of picture book making or the art of creating literature for young people."

The museum has the rights to over 70 works from the last century of children's literature, and works with the writers and illustrators or the estates of those books to bring them to life in unique and interactive exhibits. The museum features exhibits based on well-known children's classics like Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, Curious George by H.A. and Margret Rey, Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, and, perhaps most popular, a recreation of the actual room from Goodnight Moon , the book written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, where children and adults alike can explore the great green room.

Neon rabbit signs adorn the top of the building housing The Rabbit hOle. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Neon rabbit signs adorn the top of the building housing The Rabbit hOle.

Madelyn Williams, 20 months, leads her mother, Nancy, through the kitchen from Blueberries for Sal , by Robert McCloskey. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Madelyn Williams, 20 months, leads her mother, Nancy, through the kitchen from Blueberries for Sal , by Robert McCloskey.

But the museum also features lesser-known children's books, such as Perez and Martina , a story based on a Puerto Rican folk tale by Pura Belpré and illustrated by Carlos Sanchez, or Uptown , by the late John Steptoe, which brings a storefront from Harlem to life, created in collaboration with Steptoe's children.

"It's our mission to inspire the reading lives of children and adults," says Emily Hane, The Rabbit hOle's development and grant manager. "We want to be a place where kids can really discover the types of stories that they like that they've maybe never been exposed to before — whether it's because they've never seen a picture book with a kid who looks like them, or heard cultural stories that might resonate with their own household."

Left: Cal Kreiling, 16 months, watches a mouse on a bike from the book Anatole . Right: Parker Crawford, 18 months, knocks on the door to a tree inside the museum. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Left: Cal Kreiling, 16 months, watches a mouse on a bike from the book Anatole . Right: Parker Crawford, 18 months, knocks on the door to a tree inside the museum.

In the museum, patrons enter through a burrow and rabbit hole, and can play in the kitchen from Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal , or take a nap against the tree from Esphyr Slobodkina's Caps for Sale . They can then pick up the book the exhibit inspired and enjoy the pages they've seen brought to life. Cowdin says kids are really the leaders in the space.

"We're not telling parents and children how to use the space and what they should [do], we're asking them to explore, and to find the books that are there and to find the exhibits and to experience exhibits and then to come together again around the book to read the book," says Cowdin. "The whole goal of the project is to bring young people — but also parents and educators — closer to the story."

The museum was inspired by places like the City Museum in St. Louis or art installation Meow Wolf, which make art-forward spaces that don't have a "right" or "wrong" way to interact with the exhibits.

Patrons peruse books inside the bookstore of The Rabbit hOle. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Patrons peruse books inside the bookstore of The Rabbit hOle.

Left: Fabricator Gen Goering paints the walls of an exhibit before the museum opened to the public. Right: Rabbit feet and arrows mark the sidewalks outside of The Rabbit hOle. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

Left: Fabricator Gen Goering paints the walls of an exhibit before the museum opened to the public. Right: Rabbit feet and arrows mark the sidewalks outside of The Rabbit hOle.

"If all we did was make a beautiful place for children, it would be rare, honestly," says Cowdin. "We've done more than that and we'll continue to build on that."

On top of the book exhibits, The Rabbit hOle also features a bookstore and will soon host author talks and open a room for making crafts based on the museum's exhibits. The museum also has plans to open a resource library for educators and scholars, and will also have rotating exhibit spaces and a story and print lab, with room to host residencies for authors and illustrators.

"Whenever you're talking about children's culture, there is this [idea of], 'Oh, it's good enough. It's for kids, you know, just make it cheap. They don't really deserve anything beautiful'," says Hane. "And that's the exact opposite of how The Rabbit hOle feels. We believe that kids deserve something beautiful. Yeah, it's going to be durable. Yeah, we're going to be able to sterilize it and clean it and everything. But just because it's for children, doesn't mean it is a lesser art form."

A team of fabricators work on the exhibit inspired by the book Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor in January, before the museum opened to the public. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

A team of fabricators work on the exhibit inspired by the book Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor in January, before the museum opened to the public.

The museum features an exhibit bringing to life the room from the classic children's book Goodnight Moon , written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

The museum features an exhibit bringing to life the room from the classic children's book Goodnight Moon , written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.

Katie Currid is a photographer based in Kansas City.

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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem stands by decision to kill dog, share it in new book

April 28, 2024 / 4:11 PM EDT / CBS/AP

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem – who has been considered to be a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump – addressed on Sunday the recent attention on her new book where she writes about killing an unruly dog and a goat.

The Guardian obtained a copy of Noem's soon-to-be-released book, "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move American Forward." Noem is scheduled to be interviewed on "Face the Nation" next week about her upcoming book, set to be released on May 7. 

In it, she tells the story of the ill-fated Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer she was training for pheasant hunting.

She writes, according to the Guardian, that the tale was included to show her willingness to do anything "difficult, messing and ugly" if it has to be done. The backlash was swift against the Republican governor and on Sunday, she addressed the issue on social media. 

"I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back," she wrote in a post on X , the platform formally known as Twitter. "The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons learned."

In her book, Noem writes that she took Cricket on a hunting trip with older dogs in hopes of calming down the wild puppy. Instead, Cricket chased the pheasants while "having the time of her life."

On the way home from the hunting trip, Noem writes that she stopped to talk to a family. Cricket got out of Noem's truck and attacked and killed some of the family's chickens, then bit the governor.

On Sunday, she defended her decision to kill the dog, saying that "South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down."

"Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did," Noem wrote. "Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it's hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor."

In the book, Noem also writes that her family also owned a "nasty and mean" male goat that smelled bad and liked to chase her kids. She decided to go ahead and kill the goat, too. She writes that the goat survived the first shot, so she went back to the truck, got another shell, then shot him again, killing him.

The excerpts drew immediate criticism on social media platforms, where many posted photos of their own pets. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign surfaced the story on social media alongside a photo of Noem with Trump.

It's not the first time Noem has grabbed national attention.

A month ago when she posted an  infomercial-like video about cosmetic dental surgery  she received out-of-state.

In a nearly five-minute video on X, she praised a team of cosmetic dentists in Texas for giving her a smile she said she can be proud of. "I love my new family at Smile Texas!" she wrote.

In 2019, she stood behind the state's anti-meth campaign even as it became the  subject of some mockery  for the tagline "Meth. We're on it." Noem said the campaign got people talking about the methamphetamine epidemic and helped lead some to treatment.

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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem defends her account of killing own dog in new book

South Dakota governor and Republican vice presidential contender Kristi Noem on Friday responded to a news report about a section of her forthcoming book where she describes killing her 14-month-old dog.

“We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm,” she said in a post to X above a headline from The Guardian , which obtained a copy of Noem's upcoming book, “No Going Back.”

The Guardian's article describes a section of Noem's book, set for release next month, in which she recounted shooting her dog after deciding it was “less than worthless” and “untrainable.”

In her account, Noem grabbed her gun and led the dog, named Cricket, to a gravel pit.

“It was not a pleasant job, but it had to be done. And after it was over, I realized another unpleasant job needed to be done,” Noem wrote.

She then went on to kill a family goat, which she called “nasty and mean.” Noem also led the goat to a gravel pit, where she said her first shot wounded but did not kill the animal. She got another shell for her gun and killed the goat, according to the book.

Noem wrote that her daughter seemed confused when she came home from school, asking, “Hey, where's Cricket?”

NBC News has not obtained Noem's book or independently verified the section reported by The Guardian.

Noem was lambasted Friday on social media; some said they were “ horrified ,” while others posted pictures of their dogs .

The Biden campaign p osted p hotos of the president walking with the family dog Commander, who has had numerous biting incidents , and Vice President Kamala Harris cuddling a dog.

Noem is widely viewed as a top contender to be Trump's running mate. She is in her second term as South Dakota governor, and she previously served as the state's lone representative in the U.S. House.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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Austin Booker selected in 5th round of 2024 NFL Draft by Chicago Bears

The Kansas edge rusher heads to the NFL after a single season in Lawrence.

• Author: Andy Mitts

In this story:

Austin Booker's wait is finally over, as he was selected by the Chicago Bears during the 5th round of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit with the 144th overall pick. The edge rusher was the second player for the Kansas Jayhawks selected in this draft, the first time that multiple players were selected in a single draft since 2015.

When the Kansas Jayhawks welcomed the Minnesota transfer to Lawrence prior to the 2023 football season, they were getting a player with lots of potential but only a very limited track record. But Lance Leipold and his staff were hopeful that Booker would be able to team up with the other transfers to replace the lost production from Lonnie Phelps.

Booker took the opportunity and made the most of it, breaking out in a big way. In his 12 games with the Jayhawks, he played 482 snaps, amassing 39 tackles, 14 assists and 34 stops. But where he really shone was in pass rushing situations, totaling 37 pressures, 26 QB hurries, 2 hits and 9 sacks.

He drew rave reviews during the draft prep process, with many scouts noting his explosion off the line and ability to avoid blocks. Most scouting services project him as a high-ceiling development prospect that can develop into a high-level starter.

Booker should get an immediate opportunity to contribute, as the Bears are in desperate need of a pass rusher and defensive lineman. They missed out on multiple opportunities to get one earlier in the draft, refusing to reach after multiple players were picked just before their slot.

This is the final pick of the draft for the Bears, barring a trade to get back into the later rounds, so unless a big name is brought in from free agency or an undrafted free agent makes a big impression, expect to see Booker on the field for the Bears this season in at least a limited role.

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