Bridge to Terabithia

Title: Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Paterson
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0690013590

Recommended for Grades 6-10
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reader’s Annotation:
Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer to be the fastest kid in the 5th grade. He never thought that his greatest competition would be a GIRL!

Plot Summary:
Jess Aarons has practiced for the big 5th grade race all summer. He knows that this year he is going to be the fastest kid in the class. But the new kid in town, Leslie Burke, doesn’t care that running is a boy’s sport and joins the race. No one is more surprised than Jess when Leslie wins.

Jess and Leslie, who discover they are next door neighbors, soon become best friends. Together they use their imagination to create the mystical land of Terabithia where they can escape from their families, school and bullies. When tragedy strikes, Jess must find the strength to carry on and remain the king of Terabithia without Leslie by his side.

Evaluation:
Paterson’s book is an honest and heartfelt look at the death of a child through the eyes of a child. This book can help teens deal with tragedies that they may face in their own lives.

Notes:
Katherine Paterson’s book is loosely based on the true story of her son and his best friend. The story of that tragedy can be read here: http://www.takoma.com/archives/copy/2005/06/features_takomaarchives0605.html

In 2007 Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media released a theatrical adaptation of the book.