Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to terabithia. New York: Harper Collins

ISBN: 0690046359

Plot

A poor, country boy named Jesse dreams of being the fastest runner in the 5^th Grade and of his artwork. When he is beaten by a girl on the first day of school it is the beginning of an unusual friendship. Leslie is the new girl in school. She is considered weird by the other kids, but Jesse doesn’t care. They swing across a stream on a rope to a land they create in their imaginations called “Terabithia.” Hey are happy in their own fantasy world. Leslie is fearless and teaches Jesse to take chances, even though his family is destitute and life is hard. When Jess accepts an invitation to an art gallery from a teacher he has a crush on, there are tragic consequences. He will need to summon the courage Leslie has taught him to accept what has happened.

Critical Evaluation

The 1977 Newbery Winner is beautifully written with depth and poignancy. The juxtaposition of the rich outcast with the poor kid is a study in class distinctions. She can afford to dream. Jess's dreams in his art notebooks are fanciful. But his dreams for life are small and uncertain. Her family can afford whimsical notions such as painting a room gold to match the sunset. His family cannot afford paint. The disparity in their financial situation impacts the relationship each has with their parents. Beyond that, Bridge to Terabithia is a beautiful story of friendship. The two friends learn together about empathy and justice.

Readers Annotation

This is a beautiful story of friendship and imagination. Come along on the journey with Jess and Leslie as they create the wonderful land of Terabithia while dealing with the difficulties of their everyday lives.

About the Author:

Katherine Paterson was born in China in 1932, the daughter of Christian Missionaries. She wanted to write from an early age. She was an avid reader as her parents moved from place to place. She graduated from King College in Tennessee and before beginning work as a missionary worked in a school in Virginia for a year. This experience and the death of one of her son’s young friends inspired the story of Bridge to Terabithia. She also won the Newbery in 1981 for Jacob Have I Loved.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Fantasy/Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties: Language Arts

Booktalk ideas: Jess when he is told Leslie is gone.

Reading Level: Grade 4+
Interest Level: Grade 4+

Challenge Issues: Child death. I would defend this book on the basis that it is a beautiful told story of friendship and loss. These are things all young people need to learn to deal with.

This is included because it is a Newbury Winner and one of my favorite books.