Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson

book data

21,201 ratings, 4.00 average rating, 2,095 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		36%
4		36%
3		20%
2		5%
1		1%

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published

1996 (first published 1977) by Harper Collins Publishers

binding

Paperback, 143 pages

characters

Jesse Aarons, Leslie Burke

setting

The United States

literary awards

Newbery Medal 1978

isbn

0439366771 (isbn13: 9780439366779)

description

Winner of the 1978 Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American Literature for Children.

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03/30/08

Jon rated it:

bookshelves: children-s-lit

recommends it for: middle school curriculums

Bridge to Terabithia is a staple of many middle school literary curriculums; however, it is one of the most challenged books in school systems across the country. Opponents of this book preposterously assert that it has references to witchcraft and Satanism. I read this book in 5th grade and gathered no references to the use of magic at all. The book involves two children having imaginary adventures in the imaginary land of Terabithia. Such imaginary games are common for children. Yet some ...more Bridge to Terabithia is a staple of many middle school literary curriculums; however, it is one of the most challenged books in school systems across the country. Opponents of this book preposterously assert that it has references to witchcraft and Satanism. I read this book in 5th grade and gathered no references to the use of magic at all. The book involves two children having imaginary adventures in the imaginary land of Terabithia. Such imaginary games are common for children. Yet some assert that Katherine Patterson’s writing about such common activities is a reference to witchcraft. The book is an amazing piece of children’s literature and one of the only pieces from fifth and sixth grade a number of my peers remember reading. It stood out to us. We remembered it and used it to become better writers and thinkers. It helped us transition to more complex books. Educators and teachers should advocate strongly for this book to be read in class.
Patterson instills into this book many important thematic elements of a great story in a manner that younger students will be able to identify with some thought on the book. Foreshadowing, character development, symbolism, and a clear connected thread and purpose are present throughout the whole story as Jess makes friends with the new girl Leslie, learns important lessons from her that help him to become more confident, and then is forced to say goodbye when she dies entering their imaginary land of Terabithia.
To an older reader, the foreshadowing of Leslie’s death is a little heavy-handed, but in no way poorly presented to a younger audience. “Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was as delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction and it was blown to bits” (Paterson, 99). When May Belle becomes horrified of Leslie’s independent thoughts on the authenticity of the Bible, she exclaims, “What’s going to happen if you die?” (Paterson 109). Paterson makes the readers contemplate Leslie’s death briefly and insincerely several times before forcing them to do it for real. When she dies, they must revisit those thoughts they’d only touched on. “The Perkins place was one of those ratty old country houses you moved into because you had no decent place to go and moved out as quickly as you could” (Paterson 10). If the reader takes this passage seriously, they must know that the Burkes will leave Jess, in one way or another. After Leslie’s death the Burkes do leave. “No one ever stayed in the old Perkins place” (Paterson 161). As a result of this heavy foreshadowing, the books overall tone adopts one of reflection, as opposed to simple telling, a story that had to be told, that demanded to be told. Patterson’s accomplishment here is powerful to a child’s appreciation of literature and their ability to deceiver more complex literature later.
Another interesting literary event that young readers can benefit from analyzing is Jess’s evolution as a person, especially with regard to Terabithia’s changes.

It was Leslie who had taken him from the cow pasture into Terabithia and turned him into a king. He had thought that was it. Wasn’t king the best you could be? Now it occurred to him that perhaps Terabithia was like a castle where you came to be knighted. After you stayed for a while and grew strong you had to move on. For hadn’t Leslie, even in Terabithia, tried to push back the walls of his mind and make him see beyond to the shining world-huge and terrible and beautiful and very fragile?...Now it was time for him to move out (Paterson 160).

Jess is simply not the same person he was at the beginning of the book and what logically follows is that Terabithia is not the same place to him that it was. Concurrently, he must move out. A heavy handed indication of Jess’s transition occurs with his father near the entrance to Terabithia. His father begins, “‘Hell ain’t it?’ It was the kind of thing Jess could hear his father saying to another man. He found it strangely comforting, and it made him bold.” (Paterson 148). In the beginning, Jess’ father would barely speak a word to him. Jess relationship with his father has changed as well.
On the same note, children can benefit from seeing the method for entering Terabithia changing with Jess and with Terabithia’s significance to Jess. In the beginning, entering Terabithia involves a scary trip swinging across a river on a rope. In the end, Jess builds a bridge to Terabithia, changing one of its key characteristics and symbolizing the increased ease Jess has with accessing what he learned from Terabithia. In the end, Jess seeks to open Terabithia’s lessons to his younger sister, Joyce Ann. “And when he finished, he put flowers in [Joyce Ann’s] hair and led her across the bridge-the great bridge into Terabithia-which might look to someone with no magic in them like a few planks across a nearly dry gully…” Jess leads Joyce Ann into this kingdom of learning and evolution, a confident adolescent, just as the confident Leslie had done for him once. He has learned from Leslie, about himself and his insecurities, and about life, and can share these lessons with Joyce Ann.
Also valuable as classroom discussion is what parallels, if any, Leslie has with Jesus. Certainly a Christ archetype is present in many works and discussion of such can benefit students. As with so many literary elements, it is hard to say whether the author intended this parallel, but that idea is unimportant except to express it to the students. Leslie makes ambiguous comments at the beginning of the book about how she likes and dislikes the country. Jess is talking to her about her old home. “I really miss it.” She replies. “You must hate it here” (Patterson 41) he says. She says she does. “I wanted to come too” (Paterson 42) she says, talking of her parents’ decision to move. Her contradicting sentiments parallel Jesus’ experience in the garden of Gethsemane, where he asks god to save him from his impending crucifixion, but exclaims truly that he is glad to do it if it is God’s will. One could argue that her playing with the boys and running faster than them is analogous to Jesus’ miracles. Her challenging people’s interpretations of the Bible is another possible parallel. Also, Jess describes her arrival as “probably the biggest thing in his life” (Paterson 10). She dies as a result of coming, as a result of ultimately helping Jess transition from an insecure introspective adolescent into a more confident man. This is a weaker thematic element, and perhaps Paterson did not intend it, but its presence is something that may be discussed briefly in the classroom.
Someone unfamiliar with this book may think that these elements are too complex for younger readers; however, Paterson presents them expertly to a younger audience while engaging the students with a character they can relate to, Jess. He is constantly introspective, thinking not only about an issue, but on his thoughts on the issue too. He frequently wonders why he is thinking that way, leading him deeper and deeper into his mind. He has feelings for Ms. Edmund that he does not yet understand as well. The beginning of the book is hard focused on portraying Jess as having external suffering as well “Ever since he’d been in first grade he’d been that “ ‘crazy little kid that draws all the time’” (Paterson 4). The number of sentences used to portray this manner of suffering almost rivals his introspective lamentations, and establishes a character that many confused early adolescents can not help but identify with and cheer on. If this element commands girls’ attentions less, then Leslie’s charisma is more than enough to bridge the gap. The use of swear words helps to prevent children from resenting the book and closing their minds to it simply because children at that age are told not to swear. This book swears? Wow, that must be cool. I want to read on. And they do. And more importantly, they listen to what they are reading.
Bridge to Terabithia is not a book of separate literary elements, but rather elements that play beautifully and deftly together to create a complete literary work, one to help children transition to more complex literature and to make them think of new ideas. It should be staple of every early middle school English education regardless of objections that may be voiced against it. If this book is not on your child’s curriculum, it is worth your time to ask why and challenge such a decision. Afterwards, you and your child should read it together. You’ll both enjoy it.

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2 comments

08/20/07

Elaine rated it:

bookshelves: beauty, childrens-literature

Read in November, 1995

recommends it for: ages 9-100

When I read this in fourth grade, I loved it because it was enchanting, and reminded me very much of 'secret hideouts' I made with friends at the same age. When I read it again later in life, aloud to my younger brother and sister ages 10 and 12, I was choking back tears to keep reading aloud, and they were crying. If you've never read it (or, I suppose now, seen the movie) beware, this review is a spoiler! What I have learned from this book is that our assumptions about children and what is "...more

Like this review? yes (9 people liked it)

3 comments

06/02/07

Res rated it:

Read in June, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like this review? yes (8 people liked it)

2 comments

09/02/08

Sara rated it:

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Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

5 comments

05/25/07

Aerin rated it:

bookshelves: childrens

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04/24/08

Katherine rated it:

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06/04/07

thefourthvine rated it:

bookshelves: childrens-teen

Read in January, 1984

This is one of the books that taught me that Books Can Hurt. It was part of what I now consider to be my fourth grade teacher's reign of terror - she read Where the Red Fern Grows and Bridge to Terabithia out loud to us (and those are just the books I was in her class for), and I seriously think she did it for the days when, inevitably, the entire class would spend the afternoon weeping at our desks.

That said, though - and it needed to be said - this is a good book; it was so engagin...more

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

1 comment

04/23/08

Denise rated it:

Read in February, 2008

Lines I loved:

Lark Creek was the backwash of fashion. It took them a long time to accept there what everyone could see by their TV’s was OK anywhere else.

It made Jess ache inside to watch his dad grab the little ones to his shoulder, or lean down and hug them. It seemed to him that he had been thought too big for that since the day he was born.

It was the beginning of a new season in his life, and he chose deliberately to make it so.

Gary Fulcher c...more

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12/29/08

Laurel rated it:

(review of isbn 0060758333)

bookshelves: fiction, kids-young-adult

I enjoyed revisiting this childhood classic. I first read it at the recommendation of our local librarian when I was in 5th grade. I remember being a bit annoyed with her afterward because it made me cry. Hearing the story now 26 years later and knowing what to expect, I still got teary-eyed.

The audio version contains an interview with the author and her son, which I found quite interesting. Having first read the book at age 10, I didn't pay much attention to the dedication page. A...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

4 comments

04/01/08

Brandy rated it:

(review of isbn 0060734019)

bookshelves: childrens, fantasy

recommends it for: children

The movie got so much hype that I decided that I would read the book to my kids before letting them see the movie. I hate how so many movies are comming out about classic books. I personally feel it is discouraging kids to read. I understand that lots of movies are based on books, but it seems that a new trend is to make movies based on really popular books. Anyway, I wanted my kids to hear the book before seeing the movie. I actually wasn't impressed with this book at all. It moved pretty...more

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06/28/08

MiJo rated it:

Read in June, 2008

I loved this book... it was very sad but something I could relate to, whether personally or from others' experiences. Jess was a really neat kid. All he needed was his father to love and recognize him, his mother to see he wasn't a little boy anymore, and his sisters to treat him like a person. This book also showed the sad truth of the public school system.

The reason Leslie meant so much to him was not because she was a girl or because he liked her in any certain way. It was becaus...more

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12/31/08

Rob rated it:

bookshelves: fiction

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: Kids who want their hearts broken.

I just re-read the book before watching the movie. I'm sure I read it as a kid, but I'm reviewing this as an adult.

This book is sad. It's like My Girl. The characters are innocent and fun, and the world they create with their minds is playful. However, tragedies of this kind are not my thing. It seems that the point of the book is the tragedy, to have a boy's friend die. I'd rather spend my time reading something a little more up-beat.

I've said this before, I don't at a...more

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04/05/09

Joanie rated it:

(review of isbn 0545003350)

The reason this did not get five stars from me was the teacher stereotypes once again. The two teachers were straight out of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: the old, sour, never smiles, hates her students teacher and the young, inspired, fine arts teacher that all the other teachers hate. Puleeze.

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03/23/08

Sirpa rated it:

(review of isbn 0064401847)

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in January, 1979

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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07/19/08

Chantel rated it:

bookshelves: fiction, young-adult

Read in November, 2008

recommends it for: anyone who wants to cry

I saw the movie before I read the book, so I knew that the ending would be SAD! I won't give it all away, but I wouldn't give this book to a kid younger than 13 or 14. And there is some heavy foreshadowing, so you can probably figure out what's going to happen before it takes place, even if you haven't seen the movie.

But I'm warning you...this book is SAD!

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08/30/08

Richard rated it:

Read in August, 2008

A novel for teenagers, won the Newbery medal 1977. A book about friendships in the 4th and 5th grades in a rural school somewhere in Virginia. A boy and girls become best friends despite harassment by other class members. They find a special place close to their houses called Terabithia. Fantasy, friendship, and tenderness. Delightful book that adults would enjoy. I liked the following quotation towards the end of the book: “It was Leslie who had taken him from the cow pasture into Te...more

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05/17/08

Polly rated it:

bookshelves: advisory

Read in May, 2008

Bridge to Terabithia is a touching story that reveals family, advanture and friendship. Jesse Arons lives in a family with four sisters so it was like the more takes over the less. He uses stuff his sisters pass down and even wear old shoes his sisters don’t want. He lived in a consider poor family. He has amazing artistic skill but a quiet and shy personality. When a neighbor of his moved in, he met Leslie the new girl which also in his school beats all the boys in running. They become ...more

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04/15/08

Yoke rated it:

bookshelves: 9th-books

Read in March, 2008

The unlikely friendship between Jess and Leslie begins at school after they compete against each other in a school race. They are drawn together as friends because they both feel "different," and they come to respect and support each other's unique talents. Together they create an imaginary kingdom in the woods, called Terabithia. In Terabithia, where Jess is King and Leslie is Queen, they feel strong and free. They talk, share ideas, and have a lot of fun. For the first time, Jess dar...more

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03/30/08

Waffle...♥ rated it:

bookshelves: classics, eighth-grade, friendship, inspirational

Read in January, 2008

Okay like... at the beginning, I thought it was an okay book... but when I came to the part when Leslie died, it made me cry :<. I accually never thought there was going to be a problem within the book and thought that it was just a kind of book that was a life lesson one, kinda boring but meaningful.. so it strucked me by surprise that she died! The way how the author described the book.. it was like I was Jess, losing the one thing that held him together... it hurts.. call me wierd, I don't...more

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01/26/08

Brad rated it:

bookshelves: juvenile, newberry

Read in February, 2006

recommended to Brad by: Newberry
recommends it for: everyone

This 1978 Newberry Award winner tells the story of lonely fifth-grader Jesse Aarons who befriends a new girl Leslie Burke. Together they create a magical kingdom (Terabithia) of the woods near their home accessible only by rope swing. When Jesse is on a trip to the city with his beloved music teacher, Leslie visits Terabithia alone and dies after the rope swing breaks.

This is a beautifully written story that very thoughtfully deals with the subject of death and grieving. I also felt ...more

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