book review for bridge to terabithia

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Bridge to terabithia, common sense media reviewers.

Honest, moving story of friendship and loss.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Includes many lessons for tweens on dealing with b

Jesse, though often annoyed by his sisters, tries

A main character dies. The death isn't describ

"Bitch," "damn," and "hel

Parents need to know that Bridge to Terabithia , by Katherine Paterson, won the 1978 Newbery Medal. It focuses on the sweet friendship of a tween boy and girl who share imaginative play, creating a world of their own just a rope swing away, far from the school bullies they face. It also features a child's…

Positive Messages

Includes many lessons for tweens on dealing with bullies, walking in someone else's shoes, and the value of imagination and friendship.

Positive Role Models

Jesse, though often annoyed by his sisters, tries to be kind, and sympathizes with his overworked mother. Leslie, the only child of wealthy, intellectual parents who sometimes forgets she's a child, knows what it's like to be an outsider.

Violence & Scariness

A main character dies. The death isn't described in detail. Cremation is mentioned.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Bitch," "damn," and "hell," "Lord." A child says, "God'll d--n you all to hell."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Bridge to Terabithia , by Katherine Paterson , won the 1978 Newbery Medal. It focuses on the sweet friendship of a tween boy and girl who share imaginative play, creating a world of their own just a rope swing away, far from the school bullies they face. It also features a child's death and grief in the aftermath of the tragedy, and may provoke tears. There's mention of cremation, which may be upsetting to some kids. Some strong language, including "bitch," "damn," and "hell."

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (13)
• Kids say (74)

Based on 13 parent reviews

Excellent writing but not for little ones

What's the story.

In BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, two tween outsiders -- quiet, artistic Jesse and free-spirited Leslie -- become friends and escape from overbearing parents and bullies at school in their own private kingdom of Terabithia. Their idyllic world is shattered by a tragic accident.

Is It Any Good?

Among countless books about friendship and loss, this one stands out. It's notable for the tender care the author lavishes on her main characters, and for the honest portrayal of a child's grief and a child's capacity for creating beauty from tragedy. Jesse's life can be a struggle -- especially with four sisters and a need to hide his passion for drawing. But author Katherine Paterson gives voice to his fears and hopes without imposing judgment or commentary.

Readers will find much common ground with the protagonists. Jesse, though often annoyed by his sisters, tries to be kind, and sympathizes with his overworked mother. Leslie, the only child of wealthy, intellectual parents who sometimes forgets she's a child, knows what it's like to be an outsider. Though the last part of the book deals with death and its aftermath, this is ultimately a richly uplifting story of a boy and a girl who become friends despite their differences.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about so much in this book, from friendship to imagination to loss.

How does Terabithia strengthen Jesse and Leslie's friendship?

In what ways is their fantasy world similar to their everyday world?

Have you ever constructed a fantasy world?

Book Details

• Author : Katherine Paterson
• Illustrator : Donna Diamond
• Genre : Friendship
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : HarperTrophy
• Publication date : January 1, 1977
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
• Number of pages : 176
• Award : Newbery Medal and Honors
• Last updated : July 12, 2017

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BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA

by Katherine Paterson illustrated by Donna Diamond ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 1977

Paterson, who has already earned regard with her historical fiction set in Japan, proves to be just as eloquent and assured when dealing with contemporary American children—and Americans of very different backgrounds at that. Jess, from an uneducated family in rural Virginia, has been practicing all summer to become the fastest runner at school—a reputation more desirable than his present image as "that crazy little kid who draws all the time." But Jess is beaten in the first race of the fifth-grade year by a newcomer—who is also the first girl ever to invade the boys' part of the playground. Soon Jess and Leslie, whose parents have moved from the suburbs because they're "reassessing their value structure," become close friends. On her lead they create Terabithia, a secret magic kingdom in the woods, and there in the castle stronghold she tells him wonderful stories. . . about a gloomy prince of Denmark, or a crazy sea captain bent on killing a whale. She lends him her Narnia books and lectures him on endangered predators. . . but he teaches her compassion for a mean older girl at school. Indeed Leslie has brought enchantment into his life. Then one morning, with the creek they must swing over to reach Terabithia dangerously swollen by rain, and Jess torn between his fear of the maneuver and his reluctance to admit it, he is saved by an invitation to visit the National Gallery with his lovely music teacher. The day is perfect—but while he is gone Leslie is killed, swinging into Terabithla on their old frayed rope. Jess' feelings range from numb denial to rage to guilt to desolation (at one point the thought occurs that "I am now the fastest runner in the fifth grade")—typical grief reactions, but newly wrenching as Jess is no representative bibliotherapeutic model. By the end, he is ready to think about giving back to the world something of what he had received from Leslie. You'll remember her too.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 1977

ISBN: 0061227285

Page Count: 180

Publisher: T.Y. Crowell

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1977

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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More by Donna Diamond

BOOK REVIEW

by Donna Diamond & illustrated by Donna Diamond

by Barbara Wersba & illustrated by Donna Diamond

by Jane Breskin Zalben & illustrated by Donna Diamond

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

FAMILIES BELONG

by Dan Saks ; illustrated by Brooke Smart ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020

A joyful celebration.

Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.

The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together , frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

More by Dan Saks

by Dan Saks ; illustrated by Brooke Smart

CARPENTER'S HELPER

by Sybil Rosen ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Book Review

Introduction: bridge to terabithia by katherine paterson, harper collins publishers bridge to terabithia, katherine paterson was inspired to write bridge to terabithia when her son’s close friend was killed by lightning. published in 1977, bridge to terabithia by katherine paterson is a children’s book about the friendship between jess aarons and leslie burke. nine year old leslie is an only child. and 10 year old jess is one of five children and the middle child., jess is feeling neglected as the middle child and doing too many chores in the household. his two older sisters are skilled at getting out of performing chores and his two younger sisters, may belle who is six years old and joyce anne who is four are considered to be too young to help out around the home..

The father works very hard. So when he returns home from his long commute from DC, he is too tired and doesn’t pay any attention to Jess. The young boy is feeling like he doesn’t have enough time for himself. And wants a quiet place where he can draw.

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The story: bridge to terabithia by katherine paterson.

When Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson starts, it is the summer. And Jess is training because he wants to be the fastest runner in fifth grade at Lark Creek Elementary School. For one day, on April 22nd, when he was in fourth grade, he won and was the hero at his school for a day. Each morning, before Jess does his chores, he runs across the meadows of his family’s small farm in rural Virginia – outside of Washington DC.

One morning while he is racing he notices someone sitting on a fence. But because of the way the person is dressed, and the hairstyle, he has a hard time figuring out if it's a girl or a boy. And that’s the first time he sees Leslie. Jess craves his father’s attention. And it is hope that if he becomes the fastest runner, his father will become proud of him. Leslie’s family recently moved into the old Perkins place, next to their farm.

When school opens after the summer holidays, the running resumes during recess. And Jess is confident that he is the fastest runner because he has been training so much. Leslie wants to participate. But the other boys do not want to allow her because she is a girl.

Jess stands up for her. And she ends up running faster than all the boys, including Jess, for the entire week. So that’s the end of running because which boy wants to lose a race against a girl? The other children at Lark Creek Elementary do not like Leslie because she looks, dresses and behaves differently from them.

Leslie and Jess develop a friendship. And you see the lad transforming into who he might become. Leslie likes him for who he is and doesn’t judge him. Jess’ father does not approve of his artistic abilities, though he is quite good, but his music teacher, Miss Edmunds, encourages him to continue drawing. Leslie and Jess find a secret place, between both properties, where they create an imaginary Kingdom that they name Terabithia. And the two become king and queen.

Leslie opens up a new world for him, also telling him about the books she read such as Narnia. Jess’ self-confidence starts to soar. Running is no longer important to him because he has something to look forward to – Terabithia. For Christmas, Jess sees a sign for free puppies and gets one for Leslie’s present, while she gets him a paint set. They name the puppy Prince Terrien.

One day, Miss Edmunds takes Jess to some of the museums in DC. But he doesn't get permission from his parents to go. When he returns home, he realizes that something is very wrong. And he learns that Leslie died while he was out. The parents think that he too had died. Jess doesn’t believe that Leslie is dead. But the good thing is that his father is there for him during this very difficult time. In honor of Leslie, who was more like an extension of himself, he makes the trek to Terabithia to hold a ceremony in her honor.

“”It's a sign from the Spirits,” Jess said quietly. “We made a worthy offering.” He walked slowly, as part of a great procession, though only the puppy could be seen, slowly forward carrying the queen's wreath to the sacred grove. He forced himself deep into the dark center of the grove and, kneeling, laid the wreath upon the thick carpet of golden needles. “Father, into Thy hands I commend her spirit.” He knew Leslie would have liked those words. They had the ring of the sacred grove in them. The solemn procession wound its way through the sacred grove homeward to the castle. Like a single bird across a stormcloud sky, a tiny peace winged its way through the chaos inside his body.”

He also uses the lumber he received from Leslie’s parents to build a bridge to Terabithia. May Belle follows him to see where he is going. And he carefully leads her to meet the imaginary people of Terabithia.

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Conclusion: bridge to terabithia by katherine paterson.

Although Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson is a children’s book, it demonstrates the power that friends have over each other.

It’s often been said that you are the sum total of the five people closest to you, who are you spending your time with? I recommend Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. After you've read the book, you can watch the film, Bridge to Terabithia [Blu-ray]

Books by Katherine Paterson

UPDATE: First Published April 2015 This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and buy any of the books from Amazon, the company will pay me a small commission.

About the Author  Avil Beckford

Hello there! I am Avil Beckford, the founder of The Invisible Mentor. I am also a published author, writer, expert interviewer host of The One Problem Podcast and MoreReads Success Blueprint, a movement to help participants learn in-demand skills for future jobs. Sign-up for MoreReads: Blueprint to Change the World today! In the meantime, Please support me by buying my e-books Visit My Shop , and thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest !

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Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson | Book Review

Book Review of  Bridge to Terabithia The Children’s Book Review

Bridge to Terabithia

Written by Katherine Paterson

Ages 9+ | 320 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins | ISBN-13: 9780690013597

What to Expect: Friends, Adventure, Grief and Loss, and Fantasy

Bridge to Terabithia won the Newbery Medal in 1978 and other significant awards. It has also been made into two different movies, one was a feature film, and one was a TV movie. This book was inspired by a real tragedy that happened in 1976. When Katherine Paterson’s son David was eight years old, his friend Lisa Hill was struck by lightning and died. Bridge to Terabithia is a poignant story about a new friendship between Leslie Burke, the new girl at school, and Jess Aarons, who wants to be the fastest runner in fifth grade. 

Jess has been practicing all summer long by running through the fields surrounding his family’s farmhouse, and he would have been the fastest if, on the first day of school, Leslie hadn’t shown up and outrun everyone, even the boys. While you would imagine the two would not get along, they end up being the best of friends after a slightly uncertain start.

The pair play together in the woods behind Leslie’s house, which happens to be next door to Jess’s, and they use their imaginations and create a magical kingdom where they are the king and queen. They call their secret kingdom Terabithia. The only way to enter the castle in Terabithia is by an enchanted rope that swings over a creek. When they are not fighting off giants and the walking dead, they talk deeply about the kids at school that tease them. Everything is great until Leslie decides to go to Terabithia alone.

You might need a box of tissues at this point in the story because something terrible, real, significant, and immensely sad happens. The writing is beautiful, and readers will willingly soldier on to discover how Jess deals with the most profound sorrow he has ever experienced. While Bridge to Terabithia has great sadness, you will smile, and the entire story is A-plus-mazing!

Buy the Book

About the author.

Katherine Paterson is one of the world’s most celebrated and beloved authors. Among her many awards are two Newberys and two National Book Awards, and she was recently named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress. She has been published in more than 22 languages in various formats, from picture books to historical novels.

What to Read Next If You Love Bridge to Terabithia

• The Great Gilly Hopkins , by Katherine Paterson
• Jacob Have I Loved , by Katherine Paterson
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , by C. S. Lewis

Bianca Schulze reviewed  Bridge to Terabithia . Discover more books like Bridge to Terabithia  by reading our reviews and articles tagged with Friends , Adventure , and Fantasy .

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Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

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Book Review

Bridge to terabithia.

• Katherine Paterson
• Coming-of-Age

Readability Age Range

• HarperCollins
• Newbery Medal, 1978

Year Published

This review was created by the editorial staff at Thriving Family magazine

This coming-of-age story by Katherine Paterson is published by HarperCollins. It’s written for ages 10 and up. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Plot Summary

Jess Aarons trains to be the quickest runner in fifth grade. During the summer, he wakes up early to train. At Jess’ school, Lark Creek Elementary, being a good runner is the best way for a fifth-grade boy to distinguish himself. Jess is an artist and has previously spent most of his free time drawing, but now he wants to be an athlete.

Jess notices a family moving into a house nearby, and the daughter of the new family stops by for a visit. Leslie Burke is Jess’ age, and she tries to befriend him, but Jess resents Leslie when she beats him in a race at school. His dreams of being the best runner in his grade are dashed when he learns that no amount of practice will make him as fast as Leslie. Jess decides to make friends with Leslie anyway, and he learns that she is a thoughtful and interesting person.

Leslie decides that she and Jess need to invent their own secret country where the two of them can escape from the pressures of their difficult lives. They pick a place in the woods behind Leslie’s farmhouse and dub their new kingdom “Terabithia.” Jess and Leslie visit their land together daily. Jess provides Leslie with support and companionship, and Leslie improves Jess’ world by teaching him new words and telling stories.

Jess and Leslie decide to take revenge on an older girl, Janice, who is unkind to them and who steals things from weaker children. Jess and Leslie fool Janice into thinking she has received a love note from the boy she likes. When Janice tells her friends about the love note, they discover that the note is fake, and Janice is humiliated in front of the whole school.

As Christmas nears, Jess worries about what kind of present he will buy for Leslie. Jess gives her a puppy, and Leslie names it “Prince Terrien, guardian of Terabithia.” Leslie gives Jess a watercolor set. By spending part of Christmas vacation with Leslie, Jess feels less worried about the argumentative atmosphere of his own home. Jess gradually grows closer to Leslie’s parents as he helps the Burkes repair and decorate their farmhouse.

At school, Leslie hears Janice crying in the girls’ bathroom. Jess feels sorry for Janice and asks Leslie to see if Janice needs help. After talking to Janice, Leslie discovers that Janice’s father beats her and that the secret has been spread around school. Leslie comforts her, and the two of them become friends.

In the spring, Jess and Leslie continue to play in the forest, but they are surprised by how much the creek has risen from the spring rains. Jess is afraid of crossing it, but he thinks that he will feel braver after he has taken swimming lessons from Leslie, whose favorite hobby is scuba diving.

Jess’ music teacher, Miss Edmunds, asks Jess to go with her for a one-on-one field trip to the Smithsonian museum and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. When Jess returns from the trip, his family tells him that Leslie has died. After falling and hitting her head, Leslie drowned in the flooded creek behind her house. Jess is overwhelmed by sadness and disbelief. He does not know how to react to Leslie’s mourning family, and he feels angry with Leslie for abandoning him.

Jess goes into the woods to think about the times he spent with Leslie, but his little sister May Belle follows him. May Belle begins to cross the tree bridge over the flooded creek, but she loses her courage halfway across and yells for Jess to help her. Jess brings May Belle to safety on the shore of the creek and discovers that she was trying to join him so that he would not be lonely anymore.

At school, the other students whisper about Jess, but no one speaks to him. A teacher named Mrs. Myers tells Jess that she is sorry for his loss. Mrs. Myers misses Leslie, too, and she says that she and Jess can help each other through the time of loss. Jess understands that Leslie made his life better just by being his friend, and he does not want to forget her. Jess decides to start playing in the land of Terabithia with his sister to show her some of the affection and affirmation that Leslie shared with him.

Christian Beliefs

The principal at Jess’ school insists that the children in music class sing “God Bless America.” Jess imagines himself and Leslie like God in Genesis, looking at their country of Terabithia and proclaiming it good. Jess makes May Belle swear on a Bible that she won’t follow him anymore.

Mrs. Aarons is angry with the local pastor for unknown reasons, so she and her family have not attended church in three years, except for Easter services. Leslie says she is interested in going to church because she has not been before. Leslie goes to the Easter service with the Aarons family. During the sermon, Leslie happily sings the hymns.

Leslie is fascinated by the story of Jesus. She says that Jesus is like Abraham Lincoln, Socrates and Aslan, because he was someone who had done nothing wrong and yet was killed. Jess says that Jesus’ story is not beautiful and that God made Jesus die because human beings are all vile sinners. Leslie thinks it’s strange that Jess feels forced to believe that the stories about Jesus are true, and yet he hates the stories, while she does not have to believe the Bible but still thinks its ideas are beautiful.

May Belle tells Leslie that God will send her to hell if she does not believe in Him. After Leslie’s death, Jess asks his father if he believes that people really go to hell. Mr. Aarons says that God does not send little girls to hell.

After Leslie’s death, Jess goes into the forest and paraphrases Scripture, saying that he commends Leslie’s spirit into God’s hands.

Other Belief Systems

Jess says he thought the forest behind Leslie’s house was haunted. Leslie says the forest is haunted, but with good spirits. During their playtime, Leslie prays to the spirits of the forests, thanking them for their help in defeating the imaginary armies that have invaded Terabithia. Jess notices that Leslie is more comfortable with magic than with religion. Later, Leslie asks the spirits to help her overcome an unknown evil curse that has come to Terabithia. After Leslie’s death, Jess makes a large wreath in the woods and announces that his offering pleases the spirits.

Authority Roles

Mr. Aarons has a long commute to work and rarely has time to spend with his son. Jess has fond memories of a time when his dad was not so tired, and the two of them would have fun and wrestle with each other. Jess longs to hug and kiss his father, as his little sisters do, but he knows that his father would not appreciate such open displays of affection. Mr. Aarons is also concerned about his son making friends with a girl, because it seems unmanly.

Mr. Aarons is not pleased with his son’s artistic abilities. When Jess was in first grade, he told his father that he wanted to be an artist when he grew up, but his father was angry at the announcement. Jess no longer dares to show his drawings to Mr. Aarons, even though he would like to share his work with his father.

When Jess hears about Leslie’s death, he runs away from home, and Mr. Aarons follows him. Mr. Aarons picks up his son like a baby and carries him. Later, Mr. Aarons offers words of comfort to Jess as he grieves.

Mrs. Aarons needs her two teenage daughters to help with household chores, but she allows the girls to go shopping instead. The girls try to make their mother feel guilty for not letting them have more free time and spend more money than they currently do. Mrs. Aarons angrily gives her daughters the money they request for their shopping trip.

Mrs. Aarons screams at Jess when they are canning beans together. When she is too tired to cook dinner, Jess makes peanut butter sandwiches for himself and his two younger sisters. Mrs. Aarons claims, in front of all her children, that Ellie is the only child who cares whether her mother lives or dies.

Jess has a crush on his music teacher, Miss Edmunds, who is the only person to encourage his artistic ability. Leslie calls her parents by their first names, which shocks Jess. Unlike Jess’ parents, Leslie’s parents enjoy her company and like to have her near them while they work on home improvement projects. Jess finds it strange that Mr. Burke wants to be friends with his own daughter.

Profanity & Violence

God’s name is frequently taken in vain. The words h— and d–n are used. Jess’ sister uses “Christmas” as an interjection. H—hole is used to describe Jess’ house in the summer heat. B–ched is used to mean “complained.” Janice’s father beats her, but details are not mentioned. Jess punches his 6-year-old sister in the face when she repeatedly asks him about whether he has seen Leslie’s dead body.

Sexual Content

Jess’ teenage sister Ellie buys a see-through blouse, and her mother is angry over the indecent purchase. As Jess waits outside the girls’ bathroom for Leslie, he is worried that a teacher will think he is a pervert, trying to peek at the girls inside the bathroom. Jess believes that a girlfriend is a girl who chases a boy on the playground and tries to kiss him. Jess is amused by his 6-year-old sister May Belle’s ugly appearance when she first wakes up, but May Belle misinterprets his gaze and threatens to tell their mother that he’s been staring at her while she’s only wearing her underwear.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Alcohol: Jess’ extreme love for drawing pictures is compared to an adult with an addiction to whiskey.

Smoking: Janice, the seventh-grade bully, smokes in the bathroom.

Book reviews cover the content, themes and world-views of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book’s inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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Wednesday 3 April 2013

Review: bridge to terabithia.

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April 8, 2020 · 7 Comments

Children’s Book Review: Bridge to Terabithia

Oh, you know what else is cool ?  It takes place a long time ago (the 1970’s), like when kids used to be able to run off and do anything they would like for long periods of time- with no phones or anything! Can’t do that anymore.

So what’s it about?

Well, Jesse’s a boy who seems a little lonely and sad until he meets out-going Leslie, who just moved into the neighborhood.  She has an imagination and personality that Jesse really admires. They really hit off and together, they build a magical kingdom called “Terabithia”.  It’s a place where everything you can imagine comes to life.  Jesse’s the King and Leslie’s the Queen of this magical world.  Then, their lives change…nothing will ever be the same.

Will Terabithia have enough strength to survive? Will it have enough magic to help them get back up? You will have to read Bridge to Terabithia to find out!

Read it if…

I think you’d like this book if you like friendship type of books and fantasy (magical creatures type of thing).  The friendship they have reminds me of some of my good friends and makes me happy.  And I love fantasy worlds so it was a good fit for me.

**DISCLAIMER!!  It. Is. Sad.   Days later, when I was writing my book review for school, I cried. However, I also think that’s what makes it so good.  You are so into the book that when something unexpected happens, it makes you feel a lot of emotions.   Good books are supposed to that, and this is a good book. 

Give it a try and let me know (leave a comment) if you like this book! I would love suggestions, too!  What are you reading?

Happy Reading! For more another book review, check out Three Times Lucky or you can go back to Book Talk for other reviews.

**This post contains affiliate links- to purchase the book, just click on the pictures or the highlighted book titles.  Remember, there’s no extra cost for you, just a little something in it for us to keep the website going if you buy it.  Thanks!!**

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Looks like a great one! My son is super sensitive so he may cry at the sad parts. My daughter who is younger is not as sensitive so maybe I will read it to her first and see what she thinks about whether it’s too sad for her brother. Great review!

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[Bridge to Terabithia]: A Review

Hi y’all!

Happy weekend! Hope you get to soak up some spring sun! We definitely will be outside as much as we can except for a trip to our library’s book sale where everything is $1. It’s the best thing ever.

Today I am excited to share a review of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I read this book as part of my Newbery Challenge (it won the medal in 1978), and I was lucky to find a copy at the book sale this morning. How gorgeous is this cover of my copy?!

I fell in love with this book from it’s timeless description of childhood and imagination to the way we all overcome grief. It’s a book for everyone, no matter your age or stage in life. This book will touch your heart!

Initial Thoughts:

• This book is powerful. It isn’t a complex story. But it has so much to offer. It feels like an echo of a lost time when childhood was simpler (pre-internet) and imaginative play was timeless, almost idyllic.
• This book is short and easy to get into. A great book for kids to read, to read with your kids, to read to your kids.
• I think I may have seen the 2007 film adaptation. But I’m not positive. I am curious to watch it now and see how well they do in bringing this story to life, especially the way they portray Terabithia on screen (rather than the described imaginative experiences of the kids.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson tells the coming of age story of Jess, a boy trying to find his place in the world. Goodreads summarizes, “ Jess Aarons’ greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his 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 girl boldly crosses over to the boys’ side and outruns everyone. That’s not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they 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.”

“You never know ahead of time what something’s really going to be like.” “Everybody gets scared sometimes, May Belle. You don’t have to be ashamed.” “It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength.” Bridge to Terabithia

Jess and Leslie are easy to love and to easy to cheer for. They seem to embody all the best virtues and deepest fears of childhood. In a timeless way, they are two kids who you don’t expect to be friends. But they need each other. And we need to hear their story.  I love Jess and his journey to confidence, imagination, and strength. I love Leslie and her determination, adventure and loyalty. I see myself and my children in each of them. I think that’s why this story resonates with people. We all experience the joys and sorrows of friendship and fitting in. Jess and Leslie are just like us.

The storytelling is simple and rich–giving the readers so much to imagine and connect with.  Again, this book isn’t long (under 200 pages) but it creates a story that resonates with people. This is a story of friendship, of escape, of overcoming trials, and of how to face insurmountable sadness. It’s a story that people will recognize and connect with. It’s about trying to fit in, about making friends and about navigating relationships with family. It’s about wanting to feel special and needed, but also about regret and disappointment. I love the message and the storytelling.

“We need a place . . . just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it. . . . It might be a whole secret country . . .and you and I would be the rulers of it.” Bridge to Terabithia

I love the simplicity and complexity of Terabithia and all it represents. I think many of us have had a place like Terabithia in our own childhoods. A place we create in our imaginations and spend many happy hours in. For me, it was my first backyard I remember, where my best friend and I would pretend we were in a jungle, a mansion, a circus and more. It was a sanctuary for me. Like Terabithia is for Jess and Leslie. A neat element about Terabithia is the way it probably changes for each reader. The way I imagine their adventures in Terabithia is different than my kids will or even how I did as a child. Terabithia is always changing but it can always be found by those who believe in it.

The ending is absolutely heartbreaking, but it just makes me love the story more. I don’t want to give away the big twist. But let me just say that it is so sad. But somehow it also fits the story. The emotions are deep and intense in this novel. So it feels complete to have a depth of sorrow to match the depth of joy and belonging.

I loved this book! It perfectly captures the struggles and joys of childhood. This story is timeless. A book everyone should read!

What are your favorite books about childhood? Which Newbery winner should I read next?

This was my 7th Newbery Medal book finished as part of my Newbery Challenge to read all 100 Newbery Medal winners by the end of 2022, the year the 100th winner is announced!

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12 thoughts on “ [bridge to terabithia]: a review ”.

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Such a great book, I read it as an adult and totally bawled!

Like Liked by 1 person

A great review! Thanks.

Thanks for reading!!

I love this book so much! It’s one of my favourites. I especially love the ending… What happens AFTER Jesse’s world is turned upsidedown and what he does with the whole bridge to Terabithia bit. It was the perfect ending.

Have you read Katherine Paterson’s other Newbery books? Jacob Have I Loved is a medal winner, and The Great Gilly Hopkins is an Honor book (I think).

I love the ending too! It is so beautiful!

This is my first Katherine Paterson book but I’m excited to read more. Which do you recommend I read first?

My favourite Katherine Paterson books, besides Bridge to Terabithia:

1) The Great Gilly Hopkins (I love this book almost as much as BTT, even though it’s quite different.)

2) Jacob Have I Loved (Note: I did NOT like this book when I first read it (I was about 12). I didn’t get the ending. I re-read the book as an adult. And wow! I’ve come to the conclusion that this is not really a book for kids. However, I saw so much in it the second time around. And I saw the ending in a completely different light!)

If you like historical novels:

3) Lyddie (about the textile mills in Lowell, Mass – I loved this book so much, that on a trip to Boston, I made sure we did a side trip to visit the mills in Lowell!)

4) Jip, his story (a companion book to Lyddie)

5) Bread and Roses, too (about the textile strike in 1912)

Thank you so much for the recommendations!! This was my first Katherine Paterson book–but I want to read more by her! Jacob Have I Loved sounds fascinating! And thanks for the historical recommends as well! I’ve added those to my TBR–they sound so interesting!

I saw the film and I think I read the book but not sure.

I need to rewatch the film now that the book is fresh in my mind 🙂

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Bridge to Terabithia

By katherine paterson.

‘Bridge to Terabithia’ is a fictional children’s book written by American writer Katherine Paterson, inspired by the tragedy of the death of her son’s friend - who got hit by lightening.

About the Book

Article written by Victor Onuorah

Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ explores the experiences of 10-year-old Jesse Aarons and the life-changing event which transforms his life forever. The book carries a lot of messages bordering on friendship and the determination to discover one’s place in a lonely world.

Key Facts about Bridge to Terabithia

• Book Title : ‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’
• Author : Katherine Paterson
• Publisher : Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
• Publication Date : October 21st, 1977
• Language : English
• Context : 1970s Stagflation USA
• Setting : Virginia, USA
• Genre : Classic Children’s Fiction
• Pages : 208
• Climax : Jesse returns from his Washington, D.C. trip to discover that Leslie has died from hitting her head and drowning in the swamp of Terabithia.

Katherine Paterson and Bridge to Terabithia

‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ is purely a classic children’s fiction. However, for author Katherine Paterson, the idea for creating the novel came from the true-life event of the death of a child called Lisa Hill, who was close with Paterson’s son, David.

Lisa died as a result of being struck by lightning, and the sad event sparked a while new awakening in the lives of the victim’s family and close friends. Paterson, who had grown familiar with Lisa’s family as a result of the closeness her son shared with Lisa, decided to write a tribute in honor of their friendship.

The stories in Katherine Paterson’s ‘ Bridge to Terabithia’ is inspired by this event, with the climax of the book built to have a close similarity with the actual event – and readers see this with the death of Jesse’s friend Leslie at the swamp of Terabithia.

Aside from mirroring the sad and unexpected event of the death of Lisa, a huge part of Paterson’s interest in writing ‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ was to help young people such as Lisa and her son David get through challenging and emotionally transformative phases of their lives by drawing from the inspirations proffered in her book ‘ Bridge to Terabithia’ .

Books Related to Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine Paterson’s novel ‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ is one book that has fundamentally transformed the normal plot type for children’s story books. What this means is that prior to ‘Bridge to Terabithia’, children’s books didn’t really accept or incorporate certain themes such as one related to grief or death of the characters – even in the mildest sense possible.

‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ by Katherine Paterson would later change this narrative over time, by showing stakeholders how important it was to let children read and know about certain disturbing themes – as it was necessary for their timely maturity and understanding of certain aspects of life as they gradually come of age.

There are a few books that are considered similar to Katherine Paterson’s ‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’, and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘ The Secret Garden ’ is one of such books – this goes for the fact that both books are in the children’s book category and talk about similar themes of abandonment, absent of parental love, grief, and the search for new meaning to life.

The Lasting Impact of Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine Paterson’s ‘ Bridge to Terabithia ’ is an impactful book, and more than forty years after its publication, the impact is still felt in today’s society – especially among young readers.

Written as a tribute to a sad event, ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ takes the nerve to tackle worrying – and often left out – themes, allowing the younger generations to be aware of harsher realities of life thus helping them equip both physically and emotionally.

Although it had a few setbacks during its biggest hay days – as it was banned by several schools for its use of intense themes considered unsuitable for children, ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ shone as it sold several million copies and won the Newberry Medal book award.

Bridge to Terabithia Review ⭐

‘Bridge to Terabithia’ by Katherine Paterson is a fantasy thriller which explores the dynamics of children’s life in the aspects of family, love, loneliness, friendship, and grief.

Bridge to Terabithia Character List 📖

In ‘Bridge to Terabithia’, author Katherine Paterson opts to use simple, relatable characters who play uniquely to their designated roles as the plots of the book unfold.

Bridge to Terabithia Best Quotes 💬

Quotes in Katherine Paterson’s ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ are simple but powerful enough to convey significant aspects of children’s lives – such as their craving for friendship, feeling of loneliness, and desire to fit in.

Bridge to Terabithia Historical Context 📖

Katherine Paterson’s ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ is set in the 1970s and so is characterized by the prevalence of stagflation – which was the major economic trend in the United States at the time.

Bridge to Terabithia Themes and Analysis 📖

Katherine Paterson’s a ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ covers mostly the themes of loneliness, grief, and friendship – all of which come to play in Jesse’s quest to find care and attention.

Bridge to Terabithia Summary 📖

‘Bridge to Terabithia’ follows a monovocal summary style where the author, Katherine Paterson, narrates an all-absorbing story through the eyes of 10-year-old Jesse Aarons.

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Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine paterson, everything you need for every book you read..

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Bridge to Terabithia: Introduction

Bridge to terabithia: plot summary, bridge to terabithia: detailed summary & analysis, bridge to terabithia: themes, bridge to terabithia: quotes, bridge to terabithia: characters, bridge to terabithia: symbols, bridge to terabithia: theme wheel, brief biography of katherine paterson.

Historical Context of Bridge to Terabithia

Other books related to bridge to terabithia.

• Full Title: Bridge to Terabithia
• When Written: Mid-1970s
• When Published: 1977
• Literary Period: Contemporary
• Genre: Young Adult Fiction
• Setting: Virginia
• Climax: Jess learns that his best friend Leslie has died after falling into the rushing creek which separates their neighborhood from a dense wood—and from their imaginary “kingdom,” the land of Terabithia.
• Antagonist: Janice Avery; Mr. Aarons
• Point of View: Third Person

Extra Credit for Bridge to Terabithia

Based on a True Story. While young readers have, for decades, found themselves moved and challenged by the heartbreaking story of Bridge to Terabithia , few may know that it is based on a real-life tragedy. When Katherine Paterson’s son David was young, his best friend, Lisa Hill, died suddenly after being struck by lightning during a storm. Paterson wrote the novel as a tribute to Lisa and David—and, 30 years later, David produced and co-wrote the popular 2007 film adaptation of the book starring Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb.

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Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Reviews & Community

Bridge To Terabithia: Book and Movie Review

In a land far away there was once a king, named Jess Aarons, and a queen, named Leslie Burke. They ruled over this magical land justly and fair, until tragedy struck.

By now most people know about the movie Bridge to Terabithia , but unlike many movie releases based on books, the book wasn’t really advertised as even existing, even though it had won the Newbery Medal. Mostly because the book is a lot older than the more recent Disney movie; yet still the plot of both holds rather similar to where there are only minor details that become different between the two.

Bridge to Terabithia focuses around an artistic and depressed fifth grader, Jess, who ends up becoming best friends with the newest girl at his school, Leslie. Originally at their first meeting Jess isn’t actually sure whether Leslie is a boy or a girl, because of her tomboy like look and personality, which was not something that was reflected in the movie, where it was clear she was a girl. The story focuses around the interesting relationship developed from these two and the imaginary world they create, as well as the aftermath of a terrible event.

Personally this is probably one of the few books I have truly cried over because of how heartbreaking the climax can be. The two grow with a deep friendship, which culminates for them by sharing a fictional world they create together in the forest near their houses. They call this world Terabithia, though it’s never actually stated where they came up with the name, the author, Katherine Paterson, does mention she likely had gotten the name from the Chronicles of Narnia , which gets mentioned in the book when Leslie tells Jess that he should read those books to be a better king. This was yet another part that was missed in the films.

Regardless the tale itself has often been called by many people one of the best children’s book of our time or even ever written. It doesn’t cherry coat serious events that happen, and it is often a story many people, especially readers can connect with on personal levels, since the average reader is introverted, and has likely lost at least someone in their life and had to deal with that. This story manages to truly touch upon how tragedy can still tell a wonderful tale.

Of course not everyone will love this story, it does have a sad ending, and the focus of the book happens to be more on how Jess handles the relationship and then loss of the person who had pretty much changed his world, where the movie tries to lighten things up slightly by showing a bit more of the inventive world the two had created. Regardless either one manages to provide the same plot, which is unique when it comes to the release of a book as a movie these days.

No matter how you might feel about this book, it definitely manages to show some literary beauty, and tells a sad story in such a unique and interesting spin, and all with a focus around children! It is definitely a book worth the time, and you can even make it a project of reading the book with your child (if you have one) then watching both the movies it was adapted into!

Either way, enjoy your exploration of Terabithia; my kids certainly do.

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Maria L Hughes is a children’s book enthusiast, parent, and online publisher for childrensbookstore.com. She enjoys blogging about reading and children's bedtime stories .

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Book Review: Bridge to Terabithia

This book is about two unlikely friends who create an imaginary world with many kinds of animals and beasts. Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke become friends when Leslie moves and becomes Jess’s neighbor. But they really get to know each other when Leslie is the only girl to beat Jess in a running race.

One day, Jess and Leslie use a hanging rope to swing over a little river that is nearby, and that’s when they start to rule, as king and queen, the imaginary Terabithia.

There, the two friends have adventures as they try to rule over their subjects, and keep peace and order in Terabithia. Some of these subjects include hairy vultures, squogres, and other spirits, both good and bad. Squogres are massive squirrel-like creatures who are constantly growling, and they wear strange golden helmets with a spike on top, like a Triceratops.

With this book keeping you imaginative, with some sad and happy parts, I'm going to go with 3/5 stars for The Bridge to Terabithia.

Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine paterson. harpercollins, $22 (0pp) isbn 978-0-694-52452-5.

Reviewed on: 01/01/2001

Genre: Children's

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Bridge to Terabithia Book Review

Updated 16 September 2022

Subject Books

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Category Literature

Topic Bridge to Terabithia

The 2007 American fantasy drama film Bridge to Terabithia

Leslie aarons, while bridge to terabithia does contain a significant amount of profanity, vulgarity, and swear words..., sara louise bradshaw, jesse aarons' life after leslie's death, paterson's writing.

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9 Memorable Facts About ‘Bridge to Terabithia’

T here’s a genre of children’s literature in which the young heroes discover—or create—a fantasy world in order to cope with their real-life problems. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis might be among the most renowned. But for others, author Katherine Paterson’s 1977 novel Bridge to Terabithia is the ultimate escape in escapist fiction.

In an effort to avoid the realities of fifth grade in their rural Virginia community, best friends Jesse Aarons and Leslie Burke head for Terabithia, an enchanted world deep in the forest and conjured by Leslie. The experience not only deepens their friendship but prepares them for unexpected tragedy to come—one that still surprises readers to this day. (Spoilers will follow.)

For more on Bridge to Terabithia , including Paterson’s inspiration and her status as a Living Legend, keep reading.

Before writing Bridge to Terabithia , Katherine Paterson wanted to be a missionary in China.

Paterson’s road to becoming an author took a lot of detours. She was born in 1932 in China, where her parents were missionaries. The family was forced to move back to the United States during World War II, eventually ending up in Winchester, Virginia. Paterson attended King University (then King College) in Tennessee and taught for a year at a rural school in Virginia, where she once said many of her students were as irrepressible as Jesse Aarons.

After graduate school, Paterson wanted to head to China but, in 1957, the borders were closed. She headed to Japan to teach, returned to the U.S. after four years, and met and married a Presbyterian minister in 1962. The church wanted some curriculum ideas from Paterson, so she began to write—and never stopped. Historical novels about Japan were followed by her young adult fiction like The Great Gilly Hopkins (1978) and Bridge to Terabithia .

Bridge to Terabithia was inspired by a real-life incident.

When Paterson’s son David was just 8 years old, he had a best friend named Lisa Hill. The two frequently hung out near a creek bed in Takoma Park, Maryland. Tragically, Lisa died after being struck by lightning.

The next year, Paterson went to a meeting of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington; when someone asked how her kids were, “Instead of saying they were fine, I began to blubber out everything that was not fine. When I finally ran out of steam, there was this dead silence.”

Eventually, one of the other members told her that she needed to write the story, with the caveat that “the child can't die by lightning because no editor would ever believe that.” Patterson recalled, “I went back to my house that day, and I thought, ‘I can’t make sense of Lisa’s death, but the story has to make sense. So I’m going to try to write the story.’”

In Bridge to Terabithia , friends Jesse Aarons and Leslie Burke enjoy a strong bond before one of them meets an untimely end; the book is dedicated to David and Lisa. (David later wrote the 2007 film adaptation of the novel.) A maple tree was planted in 2005 near their elementary school to honor Hill.

The name Terabithia came from another book.

“I thought I’d made up ‘Terabithia,’” Paterson wrote on her website. “I realized when the book was nearly done, that there is an island in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis called ‘Terebinthia.’ I’m sure I borrowed that unconsciously, but, then, so would Leslie who loved the Chronicles of Narnia. And, by the way, Lewis got Terebinthia from the biblical terebinth tree, so it wasn’t original with him either.”

Paterson thought Bridge to Terabithia would be “too personal” to succeed ...

Though the novel meant a lot to Paterson personally, she didn’t feel as though it would resonate with the rest of the world. “I thought it was such a private book that my editor probably wouldn't want to publish it; and if he wanted to publish it, I thought nobody would read it; and if they read it, [I thought] nobody would understand it,” she told Christianity Today in 2007. “I was shocked to realize that teachers were reading it out loud in schools. It just seemed like a very, very private, personal story.”

... And her son found it hard to read.

“David still, now with two little boys of his own, finds Bridge a very difficult book to read,” Paterson writes in her website FAQ. “It’s too close to the bone. Any therapeutic value the book had was for me, facing not only Lisa’s death but my own mortality call. I had cancer that year and was hearing the bell toll.”

Bridge to Terabithia is a highly controversial book.

The climax to Bridge to Terabithia —in which Leslie falls to her death while swinging from a tree to cross the creek bed and enter Terabithia—is something Paterson once called “emotional practice” for grief in life. But it’s also unsparing enough to have invited criticism over the years. The book often lands on the American Library Association’s list of banned library books and was fixed in ninth place of the list’s top 100 between 1990 and 2000.

There won’t be a sequel.

Readers often ask Paterson if she’ll revisit Terabithia, specifically to tell more of Jesse’s story. Paterson answered frankly on her website: “No. I feel strongly that Jesse has earned his privacy.”

Bridge to Terabithia has been adapted twice.

While you might be most familiar with the 2007 film starring Josh Hutcherson (2012’s The Hunger Games ) and AnnaSophia Robb (2011’s Soul Surfer ), there was actually a made-for-television version of Bridge to Terabithia produced in 1985 for PBS. Julian Coutts and Julie Beaulieu co-starred; Annette O’Toole played teacher Ms. Edmunds.

Paterson is a certified Living Legend.

Paterson’s accolades for her body of work have been considerable. She’s won two Newbery Medals and one Newbery Honor Award, two National Book Awards, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000. That award, which recognizes creative contributions to American life, also acknowledged Judy Blume , Maurice Sendak , and Steven Spielberg , among others.

Read More Articles About Children’s Books:

A version of this story ran in 2021; it has been updated for 2024.

This article was originally published on mentalfloss.com as 9 Memorable Facts About ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ .

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