Book Summary:
Jess Aarons spends his summer doing chores, dealing with his sisters, and running around the farm so that he can claim the title of the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He doesn't think that anyone will be faster than him, and it never occurs to him that a new girl in school named Leslie Burke would snatch that title away from him. Even though he is originally annoyed by Leslie and the fact that she is a faster runner than him, the two neighbors soon become friends. Together they venture into the woods behind Leslie's house and create their own magical kingdom named "Terabithia", where Leslie is queen and Jess is King. The only way to enter their kingdom of Terabithia is by crossing a creek on a rope swing. This kingdom offers the pair a retreat away from bullies, family issues, and chores in the real world and allow them to ultimately be in control to what happens to them. Their kingdom seems to be complete when Jess gets Leslie a dog and he is named Prince Terrien. He accompanies them on their adventures to and within Terabithia. Leslie soon tells Jess that she has never been to church and asks if she can go with them to church on Easter Sunday. After the service, Jess, Leslie and May Belle get into a discussion about the Bible and Jess soon learns that Leslie does not believe that God damns people to hell if they don't believe in the Bible. And May Belle is concerned about what will happen to Leslie if she dies. Soon after Easter the Spring rains begin and soon make crossing into Terabithia tricky and a bit dangerous. In fact, Jess does not want to go to Terabithia until the rain stops and the water in the creek goes back down, but Leslie is determined to reenter the kingdom regardless of the weather. One day Jess is invited to a museum by his teacher Miss Edmunds, and he returns home from his trip to discover that Leslie attempted to cross into Terabithia without him and that she drowned in the creek. Jess has a hard time accepting and even acknowledging her death. He returns to Terabithia to have a funeral for the Queen with Prince Terrien, but he soon hears May Belle hollering for help and he must rescue May Belle from drowning in the creek. Leslie's family soon packs up and moves back to the city since they had only moved to the country for her sake, and Leslie's father allows Jess to take the lumber that is on the back porch of the house. He uses the lumber to build a bridge across the creek into Terabithia and when May Belle asks what he is doing he begins to tell her of Terabithia as he finished the bridge. He tells her that she may want to tell their littlest sister of Terabithia one day and that she would have to train her to be a queen. And with that he passes the magic that he learned from Leslie, that was Leslie, and that created the land of Terabithia, to his younger sister.
APA Reference of Book:
Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, Inc.
Impressions:
I was not expecting the ending of this book. I was in tears throughout the end of this book. The characters are very well developed and the author does a great job of explaining the bullies within the book and why they act the way that they do and allowing the readers to sympathize with everyone in the book. The creation of Terabithia by Jess and Leslie shows readers how normal situations and circumstances and become magical with the use of a little imagination and without the limits placed on us by the world. Even in the midst of the tragedy in the book the reader is still able to learn from Jess, and sees that even though their time together was cut short, that Jess had grown because of Leslie, as friends should. Terabithia would never be the same for Jess and him telling May Belle of the magic of Terabithia, he is allowing her to enjoy this magical place, and allow the magic that he and Leslie created to live on. Even though this is classified and a young reader book, I think there are many adults that would also like this book, and that would be reminded of the magic of their own childhood throughout the pages of this book. There are many pre-teens and teenagers that would also enjoy this book, but it may get overlooked due to the book's age and since there may not be many teens talking about this book.
Professional Review:
| * Paterson's Newbery-winning novel A becomes an entertaining and dramatic audiobook via Leonard's accomplished reading. Jess Aarons is eager to start fifth grade. He's been practicing his sprints all summer, determined to become the fastest runner at school. All seems to be on track, until the new girl in class (who also happens to be Jess's new next-door neighbor), Leslie Burke, leaves all the boys in the dust, including Jess. After this rather frustrating introduction, Jess and Leslie soon become inseparable. Together, they create an imaginary, secret kingdom in the woods called Terabithia that can be reached only by swinging across a creek bed on a rope. But one morning a tragic accident befalls Leslie as she ventures alone to Terabithia, and Jess's life is changed forever. Leonard deftly interprets the strands of humor, realism and heart-wrenching emotion woven into Paterson's fine tale. His careful and authentic handling of Jess's anger and grief in the aftermath of the accident is sure to touch listener s. Contemporary instrumental interludes featuring guitar, piano and drums signal the beginning and end of each tape side. Ages 9-up. | |
I would use this book in a summer reading list for the young adults. The summer reading program could have a pirate theme, and the reading list could be title "Buried Treasures in the Library". This list would be one of the options for teens who are unable or unwilling to come to organized, scheduled summer reading events at the library, that would still allow them to participate and possibly win prizes, and get them reading. Other award winning books that are rarely checked out because could be included in this list as well as titles from different genres such as poetry, nonfiction, etc.
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