Bridge to Terebithia - After Reading the Book (and Before Seeing the Movie:)

Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. Harper Trophy.

Newbery Medal Winner - 1978

I read Bridge to Terebithia when I was young, around 4th or 5th grade. I didn't remember too much about it as an adult, except for the boy and girl being friends, and that the young girl died. Reading this chapter book as an adult brought me a new perspective on the book, and I see deeper meanings than I would have as a child.

In this Newbery Award Winner written by Katherine Paterson, the ten year old Jess lives in a rural area of Virginia. He loves the freedom and power of being able to run, and to symbolically run from feeling like the man of the home and from feeling like he needs to escape being stuck between four sisters. Jess befriends Leslie, who moved to the rural Virginia area from D.C. with her mom and dad who want to explore living a simpler life. Leslie and Jess end up striking up a friendship, something both of them are craving as escape and belonging in their own ways. Together they create their own imaginary “place” of escape, which they name Terebithia. The setting of Terebithia is important to the tone of the story. Jess and Leslie deem themselves rulers of this land and build a “castle” and travel there via a swinging rope. Taking that leap across the creek symbolizes taking risks, and how they can be worth it if it takes you somewhere to escape.

Later on in the story, Jess goes with his music teacher Ms. Edmunds to Washington D.C. for the day. It is during Jess’s absence that Leslie goes exploring on her own and travels on the rope solo when flooding rains and mud are reigning. Leslie tragically dies from slipping off of the rope and falling down. This leaves Jess devastated and he goes through the stages of grieving, being withdrawn, angry, and upset. It is symbolic when Jess crowns his adoring seven year old sister May Belle after she follows him to Terebithia one day, because he is showing that he know life must go on. In a sense, he looked up to Leslie’s leadership and now he must be that role model for his sister.

There are several themes and main ideas sewn through the text, friendship, family, and death. The entire book is written in a realistic tone, aside from the imaginary world that is conjured up by Leslie and Jess to escape and understand the drudgery of real life. The language, the interactions amongst family, friends, and other characters, and the setting are all believable and identifiable in some regard to many readers. Although the sobering subject of death can never be light or breezy in a children's novel, Patterson deals with it in a realistic, respectful and tender tone to allow the young reader to read through it and learn from the characters and their challenges with it.

It was very interesting to read this book again, because I don't remember feeling moved by it like I do as an adult. My maturity and prior experiences come to the table with me as a grown up, and I appreciate the story much more. I have a feeling after viewing the movie trailer on TV that the emphasis will be on the imiginary land itself, with the creation of fantasy creatures dominating the movie preview. I predict that although it may be entertaining, the same themes will certainly be portrayed in a different manner. Hopefully, I will enjoy the movie just the same. I will keep you posted by writing after I see the movie Monday evening. I am looking forward to it!