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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Katherine Paterson Illustrator: Donna Diamond Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published) Published: 2005-01-01 ISBN: 0060734019 Number of pages: 208 Reading Level: Young Adult Publisher: HarperTeen
Book Reviews of Bridge to TerabithiaBook Review: A very intriguing novel for all ages! Summary: 5 StarsPaterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia New York: Thomaas Y. Crowell, 1977. Chaston, Joel. "The Other Deaths in Terabithia." Children's Literature Association Quarterly 16:1(238-41): 1991-92. After observing the cover for the novel I was sure that Bridge to Terabithia would be about the friendship and adventures of two children. Katherine Patterson, however, delivered a much more intriguing story than I anticipated. The lives of two ten-year-old kids, Jesse Oliver and Leslie Burke, expand when they become friends and thus creates Terabithia, their magically secret hideaway in the woods. This novel reaches its' climax when Leslie dies an untimely death. As a result, Jess's life broadens. This strong masterpiece creates joy and sorrows as it deals with themes of friendship and death. In his article: " The Other Deaths in Terabithia, Joel Chason notes that Patterson believes that novels that have such insightful themes as Bridge to Terabithia does, enable readers " to look within themselves and search their hearts for their own solutions to problems that are effective" (239). Jesse's exuberant characterization illustrates the joy of friendship and the heartbreak that death creates. Strong and lasting friendships are crucial in Jesse's life. His friends help to stabilize Jesse and help guide him/her on his way where he wants to go. Jesse does not immediately make their friendship public because Jesse thinks that Leslie's unpopularity is embarrassing. However, Jesse finally realizes that "Leslie was more than his friend. She was his other, more exciting self- his way to Terabithia and all the worlds beyond" After Leslie dies, the strength of their friendship enables Jesse to be perpetual of the world: " It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength" (126). The motif of death is seen in Bridge to Terabithia. Jesse goes through the processes of grief: denial, anger, and acceptance. After Jesse is told that his best friend is dead he says, " It's a lie. Leslie ain't dead." After Jesse visits the Burke family, he begins to hate the fact that he and Leslie ever met. Finally, with his teacher's help, he is able to accept the death of his friend and thus move on with his life. Jesse is able to look within himself and find enough strength to go to Terabithia alone and build a real bridge to Terabithia in memory of his best friend. Katherine Patterson's Bridge to Terabithia certainly is a book that every age group must read. This strong masterpiece creates joy and sorrows as it deals with themes of friendship and death. Thus, both of these themes, which Jesses' character depicts, enable a person to look within them to deal with the good and bad forces that life offers.
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