A review by jampsonn16
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Here's the thing: I already knew this story, like I assume most of us do. The movie version of this book is both wonderful and heart-wrenching, for reasons you eventually find out. However, like with most adaptations, I always wondered if the movie took liberties with the story and changed things around, so I decided to read the actual novel to see for myself. But I should have done some research first because it turns out that the movie's screenplay was actually written by the author's son who made it his mission to stay true to the source material. After learning that and reading the book, I can honestly say the only differences I noticed were the richness of the characters and the actual world of Terabithia. The movie focuses more on the "fantasy" of Terabithia and tries to relate it to Jess's and Leslie's real-world issues, but in doing so, it kind of forsakes character depth. I felt like I understood the characters and their actions more in the book, despite it being so short. The book wasn't meant to be a fantasy novel, but the movie needed to be more visually appealing, and I get that. While I do think I still prefer the movie, I'm glad I read this and can easily say that both are great in their own way. The emotions, friendship, and rawness are present in both media, so I honestly think you can engage with either and come away with the same feelings and message.