Customer Reviews

Bridge to Terabithia (Movie Tie-in)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ten-year-old Jess Aarons has never had a true friend. Someone he can confide his secrets to, and make plans with. The only thing he seems to have, in fact, is a happy relationship with his family's cow, Miss Bessie, a crush on the music teacher, Miss Edmunds - who seems to like him quite a bit, as well - and the hope to be the fastest runner in the entire fifth grade class at Lark Creek Elementary now that Wayne Pettis will be in the sixth grade. But Jess' dreams are dashed the moment Leslie Burke walks into his life. Leslie, like Jess, is ten-years-old, and, Jess sees on the first day of school, that she is also in his class, and appears to think that she and him are great friends simply because they live next door to each other, and have exchanged words - very few words, might I add. Jess is instantly reluctant to forge a friendship with this unlikely girl, who wears pants or shorts all the time, plays with the boys, calls her parents by their first names, and doesn't own a TV. However, as he gets to know her better, and realizes that, like him, she is the victim of numerous bullies attacking her for apparently no reason, Jess begins to see that Leslie could, quite possibly, become his first true friend. Together, as time passes, they establish their own secret land. A place they refer to as Terabithia, where giants and ogres run free, and work hard to destroy everything in their wake. A place where Jess is king and Leslie is queen. Where the two friends escape from the real world, and have the ability to toss their cares away. Leave their worries behind, and have a good time. Where Jess can showcase his artistic abilities, and Leslie can brag about not owning a TV, and her adventures in scuba diving, all without the repercussions of the nosy, nasty kids at school. But then, one day, a terrible tragedy occurs. One that makes Jess reevaluate everything he has experienced thus far in his lifetime, and realize just how much he learned from Leslie during the short time that he knew her.

It is not often that a book touches me in such a profound way that I continually think about the outcome long after the last page has been turned. That it nags at me in such a violent way that I can't concentrate on anything else. Yet, somehow, that is exactly the frame of mind that Katherine Paterson's BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA has left me in. I don't know, exactly, how this book escaped my notice throughout my childhood. However, after seeing the movie trailers for the film, I just knew that I had to read it. Jess is an enjoyable character, whose interest in the arts and talent for drawing is inspiring, especially when you take into account that his parents don't shed any encouragement upon him. His crush on Miss Edmunds is also notable, for it really showcases the special relationship and bond that students are ability to establish with certain teachers. However, from the moment she stepped into the book, it was Leslie who captured my attention. From her introduction at the end of Chapter Two, Leslie left a mark in my mind. She is a profound character, whose thoughts and outlook on like are remarkable. Her ability to conceal her mischievous mind behind raw intelligence is hilarious; but it is her mature musings on just about everything that she encounters, and her kindness that truly make her appealing. I can honestly say that, no matter how many books I read in the course of my lifetime, Leslie Burke will remain one of my favorite fiction characters for life. Paterson has penned a novel that makes one think, and leaves room open for discussion regarding the various subjects discussed in this book. Subjects that many authors strive to avoid at all costs. A gripping, character-driven novel that leaves you trapped in thought.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Bridge to Terabithia is an excellent book .It tells the exiting story of Jesse Aarons and Leslie Burke. Jesse has a younger sister who is six, her name is May Belle, and two older sisters that are always bothering him calling him a wimp, their names are Ellie and Brenda. Before Jesse met Leslie his only friends were Miss Bessie the (families cow), and his music teacher who loves his drawings. Jess hopes to become the fastest kid in the fifth grade. At first Jesse does not want to become Leslies' friend.


Leslie Burke is a new student at Lark Creek Elementary School. Her first day of school she is already hated and bullied. She dresses in pants and shorts all the time, she does not own a television set, and she calls her parents by their first names. Leslie has a wild imagination and loves to read fantasy books. She loves making up stories about Terabithia.

Jess and Leslie form an unlikely friendship,but then they become
inseperateable.They create a land that they are not afraid to be themselves.Leslie tells stories about herself and Jess can show his artistic side.When Christmas is near they both want to buy each other something.Jess does not have alot of money and he wants to get May Belle a gift that is really special and something she really wants,he realizes that he does not have much money left for Leslies gift.One day while they were on the bus he yells to the bus driver to stop the bus the bus and he picked up a specail gift for Leslie.Later on in the story he gets a special place. For Leslie, money is not an issue so she gave him a pad of heavy art paper, a tube of twenty-four colored paint and three paint brushes.Later on in the story, a horrible tragedy happens to Leslie so it is up to Jess to see how much he learned from Leslie.

I gave this book a five star rating because the book did not just end with "The End" it left you curious.I recomend this book for everyone who loves fantasy.

M.L

I started reading BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA after my sister encouraged me to give it a try. Having worked in libraries, I had often seen the book checked out and I new that it was a Newberry winner. However, I was always turned off by the book's cover (which featured a young boy and girl next to a tree) and by the book's blurb which gave me the impression that story was a piece of chick lit geared toward young girls. My attitude towards the book first softened when I saw trailers for the BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA movie from Walden Entertainment. Those trailers didn't look anything like the blurbs and jacket covers I had read. Shortly after seeing those trailers my sister told me I should read the story and that I would probably like it. She was right.

Though BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is often marketed and read en-mass by pre-teen and teenage girls, the book actually revolves around a boy named Jess Aarons. Jess lives on a poor, small farm in rural Virginia. He is the only boy of five children. There isn't anyone nearby that is close to his age and so after completing his chores, he spends a lot of time alone tramping through the fields, running, reading books, and drawing pictures. At the end of summer a new family moves into the vacant house next door. The parents are both writers and they have one child, a daughter named Leslie who is Jess' age. Jess and Leslie quickly befriend each other and become best friends. They spend all of their time together create an imaginary kingdom in the woods, Terabithia, that they rule together. Jess brings out the best in Leslie and vice versa and though neither acknowledges it they fall in love with each other. Then one glorious day, a terrible tragedy strikes. Jess is forced to examine his life and realize just how big of an impact Leslie has had upon it.

I have to admit that BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA was a much better book than I thought it would be and that it touched me. The story reminded me of one of my favorite books of all time, STARGIRL, by Jerry Spinelli. Both books deal with some of the same themes (close friendships, first love, nonconformity, etc.) and have similar characters (Stargirl is like an older version of Leslie), but STARGIRL is aimed at an older audience than BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, though BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is more tragic.

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is a wonderful book and is the first work of Katherine Paterson's that I have read. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more of Paterson's writings in the future.

Have you ever wondered if your imagination could create a world??? Well in this adventure book you can.

This book is called Bridge to Terabithia. I must also thank the great author Katherine Paterson. For making a great mischievous adventure book.

Bridge to Terabithia is about a boy named Jess who is having a rough time in life. But, then his class has a new girl named Leslie and she keeps talking to Jess about his imagination. Then they find out that they are neighbors so they decide to race each other down a road when they find a rope attached to a tree and under the tree is a river.

So Leslie decides to jump on the rope and go across to the other side of the river so Jess follows her across. Once they get to the other side they decide to use their imagination to create a land called Terabithia to help them conquer there fears from the school bully named Janis. So then...... I guess you will have to read the book to find out anymore.

If you're wondering what happens next and why its called Bridge To Terabithia when they get to Terabithia by a rope not a bridge then you'll have to read the book to find out.

My opinion is that this book would be a two thumbs up. If you like adventure and especially imagination books then this is the book for you. It's a really descriptive book I am sure you will enjoy it. This book I would give it five stars because it's a wonderful children's book


Also after you read Bridge To Terabithia then make sure to see the movie as well. My opinion is that if you're going to see the movie then make sure your read the book before you go to the movies.

Thirty years after its initial publication, Walt Disney Pictures spat out a sanitized version of Paterson's powerful novel, stripping it of almost everything that made Bridge to Terabithia one of the defining childhood experiences of my generation. Issues of class, gender nonconformity, religious blasphemy, and defiance of American patriotism (all made deftly pint-sized by Paterson's incisive pen) are scrubbed from the Disney film, transforming it from a story about the social upheaval of the `60s reaching rural America into a smarmy tale of kiddie friendship and removing the significance of the fantasy world the children create as an empowering sanctuary from their real-world fears.

Its Jess's first day back at school, and he is ready to run. He had practiced every day all summer for this, races every recess between all the boys in his grade. Every thing seems to be going well, until a new girl at school out-runs all the boys. After this, running just wasn't fun anymore. Although Leslie (the new girl) and Jess are almost completely different, and Jess has "disliked" Leslie for ruining the fun of racing, the two of them seem to become good friends, best friends. And then there was Terabithia. A magical land that Jess and Leslie created, with good and bad creatures. When tragics occur, Jess remembers what Leslie has taught him about imagination.

Katherine Paterson, with vividly beautiful prose, tells a story about the friendship between a young boy and a young girl, and how that friendship transforms the life of that boy from something dull and normal to something as spectacular as a imaginary fantasy land. The book itself is short and an easy read, but what the book really says to the reader is quite a bit bigger than its page count. Much like growing up, this book is both sweet and painful, and Paterson truly has a great handle on what its like to be a ten year old, fifth grade boy. So for all those readers who aren't afraid of a book that will make them cry (for both sad and warmer reasons) than I recommend this book. It doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult, "Bridge to Terabithia" is universal.

10/10 Classic.

This is not a book I would read over and over agian. It is a well written story but sad, very sad. My husband read it in 4th grade and didn't care for it and I just recently at the age of 29 read it, I cried. I couldn't believe the ending, I wish I had stopped in the middle of the book. If you want a true touching tear jerker, you've got it in this book. Do not read if you want a happy childrens book.

"Bridge to Terabithia" is short, but filled to the brim with many different characters and emotions. I would recommend this book to really anyone over 10, as it is, although I don't want to give anything away, a very sad book. It is based on an event that happened to author Katherine Paterson and her son David.
Main characters Jess and Leslie are friends who are very different, but in some ways, very alike. Together, they discover things about life they never knew before. This copy features a movie cover, and illustrations by Donna Diamond.

Ten-year-old Jess Aarons feels lost between his family''s two groups of girls - those older than he is, and those younger. His parents depend on him and seem to take being able to do so for granted. All Jess wants as a new school year starts in his rural Virginia town is to prove himself the faster runner in fifth grade, something for which he has spent the summer training. So what happens on the first day of classes? A girl beats him, that's what. His new neighbor, Leslie Burke, who wants to be his friend and has no idea how to fit in among the other youngsters in her new school.

At first Jess does not want to be her friend anymore than do the others, because Leslie seems just as alien to him. His father has to work in the city and farm part time, and money always runs short. Money's not a problem for Leslie's parents, though. Both are successful writers who can live and work anywhere. They've moved to the country, into the old farm next to that of the Aarons family, because it better suits their values than the city life they had before. Leslie's differences intrigue Jess, although unwillingly at first; and when he allows himself to get acquainted with her, he finds in her an unlikely soulmate. For carefully though Jess hides it from his schoolmates, and from most adults as well, Jess is a gifted artist who longs to develop his talent and who shares Leslie's soaring imagination.

The two children christen a nearby woodland Terabithia, and imagine it to be a kingdom where they reign as king and queen. Terabithia can only be entered by swinging across a gully on a rope. It is their place, a secret between friends who quickly come to depend on each other - and then tragedy strikes. How can Jess survive having the gift of Leslie's friendship taken away from him? And does this mean the magic of Terabithia has gone out of his life forever?

This is an amazing book. It wasn't published until I was already an adult, so I can only imagine how it would have affected me when I was in its target (9 - 12) age group; but I suspect I would have thrown myself into whole-hearted identification with its protagonist. What child with an imagination could fail to do so? The author paints a poignant yet unsentimental portrait of childhood the way it really is, not the way an adult might like to remember it with all the painful parts forgotten. The lessons Jess learns about himself and about his family are costly ones, and Jess's parents also learn a few lessons of their own. Superb!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE Winner REGS