Published in 1977 and winner of the Newbery Award, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson is simply a beautiful story that is told with a great deal of sensitivity which enables it to cover some tough subject matter. I love this book. Each year that I was a teacher I would read this book aloud to my 5th grade class. First and foremost Bridge to Terabithia is the story of the friendship that develops between 10-year-old Jess Aarons and 10-year-old Leslie Burke. Jess has lived in a small rural town all of his life. Leslie moves into the house that is the closest to Jess’s. She is a city girl, an only child, who is confident and comfortable in herself. Leslie needs her inner strength because she doesn’t fit the community’s idea of what a girl should be and do.
Using her imagination Leslie begins to expand Jess’s world. Together they create the imaginary country of “Terabithia” in the nearby woods. The castle that they build is a refuge that gives them one place where the outside world of teachers, bullies, and families cannot reach them. Led by Leslie, their imaginations soar. They become each other’s best friend. (SPOILER ALERT!) While Jess is away on a rare Saturday outing to Washington, D.C., Leslie dies in an accident. Her death devastates Jess, but he knows that he can no longer go back to the Jess he was before Leslie came into his life. This wonderful book concludes with Jess realizing that he can take what he learned from Leslie and pass it on to others, starting with May Belle, his younger sister. She becomes the new queen of Terabithia.
Seeing the movie is not something I will ever be able to do, but the movie has made me hope that out there somewhere there may be a former student who will remember.
~Janet
Read it or Weep 