The Girl (age 10) recently read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson in class. She had to write a book report, and she wanted to turn this report into a review of sorts. Here are her thoughts:
This book is 128 pages long and was published by HarperCollins in 1977. I read this book because it was assigned in class. Bridge to Terabithia won the Newberry Medal in 1978. This award is given to outstanding children’s books.
Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke are the main characters. Jess wants to be the fastest runner in school. Leslie is the new girl, and she beats all the boys in the race, including Jess. Leslie has no friends, and Jess becomes her friend. Jess and Leslie make a place of their own, a fantasy world called Terabithia.
Other important characters include May Belle, Jess’s 6-year-old favorite sister, who follows Jess around — even to Terabithia. Janice Avery, the bully at school, steals May Belle’s Twinkies and carries a secret. Miss Edmunds, the school music teacher, compliments Jess’s artwork, which his dad says is not manly, and takes him to the Smithsonian. Mrs. Myers, Jess and Leslie’s 5th grade teacher, comforts Jess during a tragedy.
Bridge to Terabithia is a fantasy novel. It takes place in Virginia a few decades ago. Jess lives on a farm there, and he and Leslie create an imaginary world in a forest. I thought the book was a little slow, except in Terabithia, where Jess and Leslie create monsters, a kingdom, a prince/fool, and different places in this world. The main characters wanted to create a place where they could be themselves and escape their problems, and they built a strong friendship.
I loved the book, and I think it teaches a lesson about friendship. I thought the book was entertaining and suspenseful in some parts, like how Jess and Leslie would get revenge on Janice Avery. I really liked the book when they were in Terabithia because of the action. The book’s only weak point is not enough description because I had a hard time picturing some of the settings, like the classroom. I learned what it would be like to live on a farm and what it would be like to dress different and be different from everyone in the class. I would recommend this book to other children as a good story about friendship.
Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of Bridge to Terabithia from school. My mom is an an Amazon associate.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
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