Bridge to Terabithia

By Katherine Paterson

Book Overview

Now a major motion picture from Disney, starring Josh Hutcherson and Zooey Deschanel Discover the beloved Newbery Medal-winning story by bestselling author Katherine Paterson, a modern classic of friendship and loss.

Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief.

In addition to being a Newbery Medal winner, Bridge to Terabithia was also named an ALA Notable Children's Book and has become a touchstone of children's literature, as have many of Katherine Paterson's other novels, including The Great Gilly Hopkins and Jacob Have I Loved.

How does a boy who has just found his other half learn to go on when she's gone?

An Unlikely Friendship: Between a country boy who wants to be the fastest runner in his class and the smart, imaginative new girl who beats him in the first race.The Power of Imagination: Discover the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a magical world in the woods that two friends build for themselves, ruled by a king and queen and safe from the pressures of the real world.A Heartbreaking Story of Loss: A sudden tragedy changes everything, leaving one friend to navigate the overwhelming pain of loss for the first time.A Coming of Age Classic: A timeless and unforgettable story that has taught generations of young readers about the strength it takes to face grief, hold onto hope, and find your own bridge to the future.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061227285
• ISBN13: 9780061227288
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Not in good condition

This booked was marked as in good condition.Throughout the book words or phrases where crossed out . . , that is not good condition

This book tore my heart out and made me cry. 5/5.

Fantastic book and compelling story. Very fun story and then devastating. First read at age 12 and have reread twice since.

The movie was better than the book!! But this was a great story!

I have never said this about a book before but I actually thought the movie was better! The book was sort of boring compared to the movie and they had some weird old timey language for some reason. I thought the thing with the main character Jess Aarons and his teacher Ms. Edmunds was so weird. I loved Leslie. Also this came in very great condition (basically perfect) so I appreciated that.

Beautifully written

Everyone can benefit from reading this book. The raw emotion is worth the experience.

This book is !!!

Such a beautiful and complicated book for a children's read. I loved the perspective of the young boy and how we were able to really see his life through the pages.

Bridge To Terabithia By a Fith Grade Student

Bridge to Terabithia is a splendid choice of a book. This book is very funny. It's a great story for people who enjoy twisted books. Bridge to Terabithia is by the wonderful Kathrine Paterson. It's an adventure book that makes you feel like you are almost in the book! The story takes place mostly in Terabithia, but they go to school and other places too. Terabithia is a magical place that Jess and Leslie make up. Jess and Leslie are the main characters. Jess is a very excellent student. He is kind of a scaredy-cat but he never shows it to Leslie. He is the kid who always wants to win. Jess is the king of Terabithia. He even has a crush on his music teacher Miss Edmunds! Leslie also is a marvelous student. She is a tip-top runner. Leslie is the queen in Terabithia. She is also a very good story teller In Bridge to Terabithia Jess and Leslie don't really fit in. Jess lives at home with his mom, dad, and 3 sisters. He has basically your average kid's life. Now Leslie on the other hand lives with her mom and dad and doesn't even have a TV! I like the author's writing because she writes with imagination. At some points it is happy but others are sad. It can switch at any minute. She also writes in an adventurous tone. I recommended this book to kids of all ages. It is definitely a family book. I would give it a 5 * rate because it is funny and mysterious. Well, if you don't want to read the book by now you might want to think again.

A gripping, character-driven novel that leaves you trapped in thought

Ten-year-old Jess Aarons has never had a true friend. Someone he can confide his secrets to, and make plans with. The only thing he seems to have, in fact, is a happy relationship with his family's cow, Miss Bessie, a crush on the music teacher, Miss Edmunds - who seems to like him quite a bit, as well - and the hope to be the fastest runner in the entire fifth grade class at Lark Creek Elementary now that Wayne Pettis will be in the sixth grade. But Jess' dreams are dashed the moment Leslie Burke walks into his life. Leslie, like Jess, is ten-years-old, and, Jess sees on the first day of school, that she is also in his class, and appears to think that she and him are great friends simply because they live next door to each other, and have exchanged words - very few words, might I add. Jess is instantly reluctant to forge a friendship with this unlikely girl, who wears pants or shorts all the time, plays with the boys, calls her parents by their first names, and doesn't own a TV. However, as he gets to know her better, and realizes that, like him, she is the victim of numerous bullies attacking her for apparently no reason, Jess begins to see that Leslie could, quite possibly, become his first true friend. Together, as time passes, they establish their own secret land. A place they refer to as Terabithia, where giants and ogres run free, and work hard to destroy everything in their wake. A place where Jess is king and Leslie is queen. Where the two friends escape from the real world, and have the ability to toss their cares away. Leave their worries behind, and have a good time. Where Jess can showcase his artistic abilities, and Leslie can brag about not owning a TV, and her adventures in scuba diving, all without the repercussions of the nosy, nasty kids at school. But then, one day, a terrible tragedy occurs. One that makes Jess reevaluate everything he has experienced thus far in his lifetime, and realize just how much he learned from Leslie during the short time that he knew her. It is not often that a book touches me in such a profound way that I continually think about the outcome long after the last page has been turned. That it nags at me in such a violent way that I can't concentrate on anything else. Yet, somehow, that is exactly the frame of mind that Katherine Paterson's BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA has left me in. I don't know, exactly, how this book escaped my notice throughout my childhood. However, after seeing the movie trailers for the film, I just knew that I had to read it. Jess is an enjoyable character, whose interest in the arts and talent for drawing is inspiring, especially when you take into account that his parents don't shed any encouragement upon him. His crush on Miss Edmunds is also notable, for it really showcases the special relationship and bond that students are ability to establish with certain teachers. However, from the moment she stepped into the book, it was Leslie who captured my attention. From her introduction

Take Me Away

Chores, running, and hiding his talent to draw were Jess's most famous traits when he was alone, but when the neighbors moved in next door and he became friends with Leslie, this all changed. Jess was still good at these things but he became more creative, more imaginative, and more accepting of his love to draw. Leslie and Jess brought out the best in each other. These two were destined to become best friends, and they fought tough times as well as enjoyed good times together. Caught in a world without perfection, Leslie and Jess created a place where they could be without any imperfections. This secret place, once created, was longed for. Jess and Leslie needed this place just as they needed each other. Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson, deals with a number of real life ordeals, including friendship, loss, bullying, and more. I think this is a great book for anyone who deals with life and longs for their own secret place to get away from it all.

Bridge to Terabithia - a kid's review

I like Bridge to Terabithia because it's interesting and it makes me want to read more. I think it's good for others kids my age to read. This book is about a boy named Jesse and a girl named Leslie who created this place called Terabithia. Any enemies around them in their real life would become enemies in Terabithia. Jesse and Leslie had difficulties in their lives but they straightened them out. At the end of the story Jesse built a bridge to Terabithia in honor of Leslie. They were good friends. I had a lot of feelings about this book. I was sad because in the end something shocking happened to Leslie. I was surprised because Jesse goes somewhere without permission. After reading Bridge to Terabithia, these are my opinions: #1 This book is exciting for others to read. #2 I think Katherine Paterson should continue the story so I can know what happens next. #3 It's a good book.