Panels on The Hunger Games to take place at Potter conference Ascendio

by · March 27, 2012

It has been a little while since we last updated you on the Harry Potter conference Ascendio 2012 taking place at the luxurious Portofino Bay Hotel this July. However, several very thrilling announcements have been made and we will be bringing them to you in the coming weeks, including some MuggleNet exclusives.

Scholastic’s fantasy adventure novel “The Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins, was adapted into the film that grossed the third-largest opening weekend to date at the U.S. box office. The film is only two slots behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 which holds the all-time record. Like many fantasy adventures, there are some intriguing similarities between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. And Ascendio is inviting you to partake in some of the learning and discussion.

Three discussion panels have been announced by Ascendio, each catered towards fans of The Hunger Games as well as Harry Potter. In addition, Ascendio is planning to screen the film at some point during the conference (details are yet to be finalized.) The titles and short descriptions of each panel (linked to below in this post) are so exciting that we had to share:

– From Harry to Katniss & Back to Pottermore: How JKR Took The World on a Transmedia Journey by Cathy Leogrande.
– Katniss, Bella and Hermione: Finding the Balance Between A**kicking Prowess and Emotional Realism in the Girls of YA Fiction with panelists including Mark Oshiro of Mark Reads
– Katniss the Cattail: An Unauthorized Guide to Names and Symbols in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games by Valerie Frankel

Anyone who is familiar with name origins in Harry Potter knows that a character’s name can say a lot about their character, and shed interesting detail on how or maybe even why they behave the way that they do (so the third panel is definitely a don’t-miss!) And the second panel is part of Ascendio’s esteemed Quill Track, featuring literary experts discussing their field in depth.

There is still time to register for Ascendio. More information on the conference can be found on their web site at hp2012.org.

Eric S.

Eric Scull joined MuggleNet in November of 2002. Since that time, he’s presided over a number of sections, including name origins and Dear Hogwarts, but none so long as the recently revived Crazy Caption Contest. Eric is a Hufflepuff who lives in Chicago and loves the outdoors.