Have you ever imagined a world that was just for you? One where you were safe and loved? A magical place to call home? That is exactly what Leslie and Jess have created for themselves, Terabithia. You must cross over the secret bridge to reach this magical kingdom. Terabithia is a world where they could escape the troubles of reality, fight battles and be their true unapologetic selves.
Katherine Paterson’s award winning novel, Bridge to Terabithia has, and will continue to, touch the hearts of many, both big and small. Her work explores the development of identity, courage, passion, friendship, growth, gender, power of imagination, struggles, class, loss and grief. Each theme is finely interwoven between the characters’ development and interactions within Terabithia. Paterson does a magical job of incorporating these themes within the narrative naturally through the actions and expressions of Jess and Leslie. As a work of children’s literature the novel connects to youth readers through the friendship that develops between Jess and Leslie, in addition to the struggles that they both endure at home and school. As an adult reader the themes of equity, diversity and equality can be examined with experienced lenses. Bridge to Terabithia is an excellent novel choice for those searching for adventure, magic, a sense of childhood innocence or a warm and fuzzy nostalgic feeling. If you’re looking for a novel that will make you smile, chuckle, and cry all at once, you’ve found the right one. Bridge to Terabithia will pull on your heartstrings in ways you didn’t think you needed. Take a chance and cross that magical bridge into Terabithia with Leslie and Jess.
This book was introduced to my Gr.5 English class when I was still doing ELL, so I couldn’t read along with the class or join the discussion. All I knew about the book was told to me by another friend who updated me weekly on the things happening in Leslie and Jess’ lives.
The class was reading the novel at just about the same time the movie was due to come out.
One day, my friend comes up to me at recess and says “it’s not good, something happens,” and I started guessing what could have happened, but she wouldn’t confirm anything. She just told me to wait until the class went to watch the movie together in two weeks to figure it out.
I couldn’t wait. I went with my family a week before the class was due to go, and found myself sobbing uncontrollably for the last hour of the movie. My mother and my aunt had to guide me out of the theatre after because my eyes were so swollen from crying that I could barely see.
I am still mad at that friend for not confirming what would happen ahead of time. Thanks a lot, Deborah.