The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is an imagination-capturing, fiction book.  Written for 11-13 year olds, according to Scholastic.com, it seems to be finding its way into the hands of younger and younger children.  The main characters are ages 12-18 and are fighting one another until their death.  You'll fall in love with the characters, celebrate with them, and grieve with them.  Intermediate readers will grapple with all that goes along with an adult 'great read' - love, loss,  wonderings, decision making. In a word - life.

This is one of those books that 'depends on the kid' as to when they are ready to read it.  Please read it all the way through before you decide if it is okay for your child!  Remember, it's not the vocabulary or phonics that may be challenging, but the themes.  Only for 'mature' children who are intermediate readers  (or a good read-aloud with a fluent reader).  

IRL:  5.3