robinmichele's Full Review: Katherine Paterson - Bridge to Terabithia
The books that mean the most to me are always the hardest to write about.
This is one such book.
It's hard to look beyond the intense visceral connection so that I can tell you why this book is so worthwhile, why everyone should read it again and again.
I'll give it a try.
Plot
We first meet Jess Aarons, a poor country boy, as he is practicing his running during summer vacation. He wakes up early to practice every morning, so that he will be the fastest runner in the fifth grade.
Personal Interlude
Now, I don't know about you, but I spent many a middle school summer doing various things so that I would come back to school different. I was not the athletic type at all, but one summer I swam in my grandma's pool every day so that I would come back changed. Better, stronger, more beautiful... Insert your own adjective here. Paterson hits the nail on the head for me- as Jess envisions the look on his classmates faces as he leaves them in his dust. Sixth grade was horrible enough for me to want that kind of change as well. Isn't it rough for everyone?
Back to regularly scheduled plot synopsis
Jess has kind of a rough family life. He is the only son, and his father is always off at work. When dad is around, he never talks to Jess. So, you guessed it, Jess has a yearning for his father's approval.
Finally it is the first day of school. Jess is ready to run like he has never ran before... But wait, that strange new girl Leslie Burke has the audacity to cross the "line" that separates the girls play from the boys play. She wants to run with the boys? Whatever.
She beats them all. Isn't that a strange way to start a friendship? Before long, Leslie and Jess are inseparable. Jess connects well with this strange girl who never wears dresses, calls her writer parents by their first names, and isn't afraid to stand out from the crowd... Particularly impressive considering the age group in question.
Since they are neighbors, they hang out, and end up creating this magical safe place for themselves- Terabithia. They are the rulers, and they call the shots. To get to this magical place, they have to swing on a rope across the river. How Huck Finn is that?
Spoiler
One day Jess goes to a museum with his beloved music teacher. She is one of the few who support his love for drawing... Yeah, Jess could have invited Leslie along, but he really wanted the time with Miss Edmunds all to himself... So he didn't invite her to come.
The river had risen dangerously with the recent rains. Leslie decided to go to Terabithia by herself, since Jess wasn't home. On her way across the river, the rope broke. She must have hit her head and been struck unconscious, because Leslie was an excellent swimmer.
When Jess came home from a wonderful day at the museum, he finds out that his best friend and queen has died.
End of Spoiler
This book won the Newbery award in 1978, and for good reason.
The writing is superb. Paterson has a way of making her characters so vibrant and alive. She must truly be a student of human nature. There is so much packed into this short novel. We get a great feel for the tensions between families, the desires and fears of the characters, and a great sense of the world around them.
It has been said before that Paterson does not shy away from unpleasant topics. She comes through in this novel with the force of a ton of bricks.
If you haven't read this book, don't delude yourself any longer. Adults can enjoy it too.
The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to re...More at HotBookSale
One of the most celebrated Newbery Medal winners of all time gets a magical new edition, complete with a reader s guide that perfect for teachers, boo...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.