Bridge to Terabithia [Paperback]

Katherine Paterson (Author), Donna Diamond (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: May 6, 2003 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 810L (What's this?)

A secret world of their own

Jess Aaron's greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new kid, a new girl, boldly crosses over to the boy's side of the playground and outruns everyone.

That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. It doesn't matter to Jess that leslie dresses funny, or that her family has a lot of money -- but no TV. Leslie has imagination. Together, she and Jess create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits. Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse next door and changes his life forever. Not only does Leslie not look or act like any girls Jess knows, but she also turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. After getting over the shock and humiliation of being beaten by a girl, Jess begins to think Leslie might be okay.

Despite their superficial differences, it's clear that Jess and Leslie are soul mates. The two create a secret kingdom in the woods named Terabithia, where the only way to get into the castle is by swinging out over a gully on an enchanted rope. Here they reign as king and queen, fighting off imaginary giants and the walking dead, sharing stories and dreams, and plotting against the schoolmates who tease them. Jess and Leslie find solace in the sanctuary of Terabithia until a tragedy strikes and the two are separated forever. In a style that is both plain and powerful, Katherine Paterson's characters will stir your heart and put a lump in your throat. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Paterson's Newbery-winning novel 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 listeners. Contemporary instrumental interludes featuring guitar, piano and drums signal the beginning and end of each tape side. Ages 9-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780064401845
• ISBN-13: 978-0064401845
• ASIN: 0064401847
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,018 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Death & Dying

More About the Author

Katherine Paterson has twice won both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. She received the 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Medal as well as the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for the body of her work. An active promoter of reading and literacy, she lives with her husband, John, in Barre, Vermont. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Visit Katherine Paterson on her web site at www.terabithia.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

433 of 446 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars it'll make a grown man cry August 12, 2001

By Orrin C. Judd VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Leslie was more than his friend; she was his other, more exciting, self, his way to Terabithia and all the worlds beyond. -Bridge to Terabithia

Okay, before I make this unmanly confession, let me first state in my own defense that I have two small children and I was listening to the conclusion of this book at a very early hour, before I'd even had breakfast to fortify me for the day. That said, I'll now acknowledge that I very nearly started sobbing...

In 1976, Katherine Paterson's son David was 8 years old when his friend, Lisa Hill, was struck by lightning and killed. A year later Bridge to Terabithia was published, winning a Newberry Medal and becoming, if such a thing is possible, an instant classic. Ms Paterson drew upon this personal tragedy to create the story of a boy, Jess Aarons, and a girl, Leslie Burke, in rural Virginia, who become the best of friends. Jess is the middle child, and only son, of a reticent father, who struggles to earn a living. Leslie is the daughter, and only child, of two successful writers who have moved to the country, next door to the Aarons, for lifestyle reasons.

The friendship between the two kids is hesitant at first, particularly after Leslie usurps Jess's title as the fastest runner in their 5th grade class at Lark Creek Elementary. But both have some trouble fitting in with theirs peers, Jess because of his interest in Art, Leslie because of her scholastic ability and her parents' very 70s social attitudes (like not having a TV), and this shared awkwardness gives them a unique bond. Leslie creates an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia for them to rule over, accessible only be a rope swing over a local creek. The imaginary adventures they share there and a series of incidents at school bring the two closer and closer together. But then an ugly reality intrudes upon their idyllic world and the various characters are forced to deal with a tragic death. To say more might ruin the story, so let's leave it at that.

I understand that the use of this book in classrooms is frequently challenged by parents. If the reason for this is that they feel that the central crisis of the book may be too intense for children, I can sympathize with their feeling. But it seems like an intensity that is well worth their children's while. Ms Paterson handles the situation quite beautifully and affords a real opportunity for parents to discuss the matter of death with their kids, a topic which most families hopefully haven't much had to cope with. Reading the book is a difficult emotional experience, but better to first confront these emotions in a controlled fictional setting and begin to learn how to deal with them, than to remain totally sheltered and have to deal with them, completely unprepared, when the tragedy is real.

GRADE : A

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Parents, listen up May 15, 2007

By Biblibio VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

While I respect parents looking out for their children, I think someone should listen up for a moment and take note of one fact. While many children complain that this book is "boring", we must remember that most fifth-grade children call any book that they did not choose for themselves as boring. In this day and age, children are not satisfied with books, as they require a slightly longer attention span than the television set. Those claims have now been tossed out the window.

Now... parents. Sometimes mild censoring of books is understandable. Children should not read books with explicit sex scenes, mostly because they wouldn't understand what's going on. Children should probably not read books like "Mein Kampf" and get the impression that this is right. However, are we now to declare such simple and basic concepts as friendship and death as "inappropriate for children"? Isn't it the opposite? These books prepare children for the inevitable. Sometimes accidents happen. Grandparents, parents, family, and friends can all die. Fifth graders know what "death" means. Are we to shelter them forever?

Of course not. I read this book in fifth or fourth grade, and I loved it. I started crying, and crying. This book made me feel so many emotions, and that's what the purpose of a really good book is. Should we all read action-packed books with no feeling? Of course not! This portrays friendship and the loss of a friend in such a clear, solemn way. We see how Jesse (the main character) struggles to deal with this. He's only a kid, after all. We feel it all - without actually going through that pain.

Regarding other claims about this book that it is not for children, let us remember one thing. These are children in the book. They think like children. They act like children. Their friendships and ties and feelings are those of children. Adults and older teens tend to find this book "boring". It is not intended for adults, but for kids to read and grow.

I read this as a kid, and I loved it. I read it today, and I love it. It's bound to bring tears to your eyes and is so powerful and wonderful every time you read it. Every child reader will love and appreciate this book.

118 of 133 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Tragic story, 1978 Newbery Medal-winner, will make you cry. August 24, 2000

By Lisa Ebeling

Format:Hardcover

CHARACTERS: Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr., a ten-year-old boy, middle child in a family of four sisters, whose parents are desperately poor; and Leslie Burke, new girl from the city whose arrival forever changes Jesse's life and the attitudes of the students at Lark Creek Elementary School.

SUMMARY: Young Jesse, who lives in poverty in the countryside in Virgnia, has big plans for the first week of school: he's run hard all summer and is sure he's now the fastest boy in fifth grade. Despite the fact that his dream is shattered by the arrival of a lean, lanky girl named Leslie Burke who moves to his school district from Arlington, Jesse and the newcomer become best friends. She never gloats over the fact that SHE is the fastest kid in the class, and the fact that the two are outcasts at school draws them into friendship.

Together the two find, name, and create a magical kingdom in the woods that they reach by swinging across a creek on a rope tied to a tree limb. Jesse and Leslie keep Terabithia their secret, telling neither family nor schoolmates about the hours of make-believe fun they spend there. They name themselves king and queen of Terabithia and play elaborate games almost every day.

Leslie's parents are attractive, educated professional writers who left their busy lives in the city for the simplicity and quiet of the country. The Burkes begin fixing up an old house close to Jesse's, and Jesse proves himself quite handy with carpentry and electrical repairs. When the weather is unfit for playing in the woods, Jesse and Leslie help Mr. Burke at home.

Jesse has a crush on the beautiful music teacher who was new to the school district the previous year. Fearing ridicule from his family (particulary his father) and classmates, Jesse has shown his artwork only to Miss Edmunds. One rainy day she invites Jesse to accompany her to Washington DC to see the National Gallery. Jesse is awed by the fabulous works of art, and regrets only that he didn't think to ask his teacher if Leslie could come with them.

When he returns from Washington, Jesse learns at a tender age how irrevocably one's life can change in the course of one short day.

IMPRESSIONS: This was required reading for a children's literature course that I took; otherwise, I probably wouldn't have chosen it on my own, judging solely by the title. However, "Bridge to Terabithia" is an excellent book. It's a quick read, but one that will leave you crying for hours--which is exactly what you want from a book sometimes!