Bridge to Terabithia - book and adaptations

[Zeljka]

Bridge To Terabithia is a praised novel by Katherine Paterson that won a Newberry Medal 1978. It is the story about one special friendship, so special they even tailored a magic kingdom for themselves.

There were two adaptations of the novel; one was a PBS TV-movie, from 1985, and the second was a Disney movie, from 2007.

I saw only the latter one, and liked it, although I felt a bit cheated by its shocking twist at the end. I still have to read the book though.

Your thoughts and impressions?

[Alana]

Finally got around to reading this! Here's my review:

Oddly enough, I knew some of this story because while on a flight home years ago, it was playing as the in-flight film. I, however, was not really watching it, and didn't listen in, so only caught bits and pieces, but enough to figure out the gist. It's much better actually reading the whole story.

This is such a beautiful, heartwarming--and heartbreaking--story of pure friendship and imagination. It has all of the most beautiful things of childhood--make-believe, secret worlds, sticking up for each other, reaching out to the hurting, companionship, etc--along with some of the not-so-wonderful--facing bullies, problems at home, teasing at school, getting left out, loneliness. I think in many ways it's probably a more difficult read as an adult than as a child, because we face the unknown, fear, and death so much differently than children often do.

The audio version was well-narrated and my version had a nice little interview with the author and her son, about whom the story is partly based. Their insights were very interesting and moving.

This is well worth the read, especially if you read it with your child, as I think there are insights that both can gain, and even moreso by exploring all of the emotions together, from both perspectives.
4.5/5

[Book Vamp Jade]

I, also, am yet to read the novel its on my to read list but right now, for some reason I just cannot handle reading or watching anything that will result in tears. But he 2007 film was beautifully done and the ending for me was heart wrenching. Not just because of the ages of the children but because somehow he manages to keep this beautiful world they built together alive. Just thinking about it brings a knob to my throat.