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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
“It made Jess ache inside to watch his dad grab the little ones to his shoulder, or lean down and hug them. It seemed to him that he had been thought too big for that since the day he was born.”
Bridge to Terabithia is one of those pieces of entertainment that is directly in the forefront of the collective consciousness and nostalgia of all kids who were around to see this movie in theaters when released in 2007. I saw it, everyone I knew saw it, and no one talked about it though because it was a heavy film for 6 and 7 year olds like myself when I saw it. The story was a film first to me and a book second, and while I’m unsure if I did read it when I was young, it is fresh in my mind now having finished the book first and watching the movie second.
Katherine Paterson’s world and characters that she created in Terabithia are flawed, hurt, scared, and hopeful, something I admire and respect for the portrayal of subjects like anxiety and death in a children’s book. The story is timeless, the characters are easy to relate to and follow, and the emotion in each chapter translates to the readers emotions perfectly. I was scared I had lost a lot of my creativity and sense of imagination after the wonderful public school system throughout high school and my own mental health struggles, but the words were so vivid and descriptive that it’s hard not to fall into this magical world along with Jess and Leslie, along with their struggles and accomplishments. Highly recommended for anyone at any age, truly a timeless classic.
Bridge to Terabithia is one of those pieces of entertainment that is directly in the forefront of the collective consciousness and nostalgia of all kids who were around to see this movie in theaters when released in 2007. I saw it, everyone I knew saw it, and no one talked about it though because it was a heavy film for 6 and 7 year olds like myself when I saw it. The story was a film first to me and a book second, and while I’m unsure if I did read it when I was young, it is fresh in my mind now having finished the book first and watching the movie second.
Katherine Paterson’s world and characters that she created in Terabithia are flawed, hurt, scared, and hopeful, something I admire and respect for the portrayal of subjects like anxiety and death in a children’s book. The story is timeless, the characters are easy to relate to and follow, and the emotion in each chapter translates to the readers emotions perfectly. I was scared I had lost a lot of my creativity and sense of imagination after the wonderful public school system throughout high school and my own mental health struggles, but the words were so vivid and descriptive that it’s hard not to fall into this magical world along with Jess and Leslie, along with their struggles and accomplishments. Highly recommended for anyone at any age, truly a timeless classic.
This book ripped my heart out.
Jess and Leslie reminded me a lot of myself and my friendships; I think that's why everything felt so personal. And it hit my biggest fear solidly on the head. I knew it was coming, but it still hurt, physically—more than I thought it could.
I love these characters, this story, so much. I want to keep experiencing life through their eyes. I want to see where they'll go next, what they'll say next. What they'll teach me.
If you want a story of honest-to-goodness friendship, of relationships—teachers, classmates, parents, siblings—and of how to fight fear and move on, pick this up. I think you'll like it.
Jess and Leslie reminded me a lot of myself and my friendships; I think that's why everything felt so personal. And it hit my biggest fear solidly on the head. I knew it was coming, but it still hurt, physically—more than I thought it could.
I love these characters, this story, so much. I want to keep experiencing life through their eyes. I want to see where they'll go next, what they'll say next. What they'll teach me.
If you want a story of honest-to-goodness friendship, of relationships—teachers, classmates, parents, siblings—and of how to fight fear and move on, pick this up. I think you'll like it.
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What!
I never read this book before, at least I have no recollection reading it as a child. Nor have I watched the Bridge to Terabithia movie. I thought this was a fantasy novel and that Jess and Leslie would be whisked away to far away lands like Narnia. Bruh. I was wrong. I did not expect the story to take such a turn. Part of me had a feeling but I couldn’t believe it when it happened.
I never read this book before, at least I have no recollection reading it as a child. Nor have I watched the Bridge to Terabithia movie. I thought this was a fantasy novel and that Jess and Leslie would be whisked away to far away lands like Narnia. Bruh. I was wrong. I did not expect the story to take such a turn. Part of me had a feeling but I couldn’t believe it when it happened.
Like many people this book deeply affected me as a kid and it still does now. Though the pages are yellowed with age, you can still see the points where my tears stained them. I have seen many an angry post on social media about how this book and/or its movie adaptation traumatized people and that it isn't appropriate for kids. I disagree. Just because something deals with death and grief, doesn't mean a child cannot understand it. For all you know, a kid could need this sort of story to process what they were going through. In fact, the author wrote it for her son who lost his own best friend. It is still poignant and emotional to this day. I would have given this book five stars, but the star taken is for the dated fat shaming/descriptions of people that have not aged well.
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't know how to explain it but this book explains how grief feels as a child. How a child doesn't cope in the way adults think they should. This book hit me very deep.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
Before reading this book, I felt very emotionally dissociative and struggled to express the emotions i was feeling internally. I read the ending of this book at 2:30 am the night before it was due for one of my college classes and sat in my bed sobbing for over an hour. Paterson’s writing was incredibly evocative and the fear and sadness of Jesse hit me harder than anything I’ve read before . It was the beginning of my healing and I will always hold this book close to my heart.
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed rereading this classic with my 9 year old daughter. She loved this book so much and just kept turning the pages. All I can say is, once a classic, always a classic.