A review by coffeeneur
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

4.5

A favorite childhood read, one of the first books I remember reading that dealt with tragedy and grief so directly. I revisited it this year to remember the reasons why I loved it and to explore how the book holds up over time. Some parts have not aged well (trivializing physical abuse, fat shaming, cultural insensitivities) but Leslie and Jesse and the growth of their friendship are so good. I love how we see these two form such a powerful friendship, how they are so creative and how they lean on each other, grow together, and let themselves be vulnerable to the other. We see Jesse grow so much as a human.

The sections after Leslie dies suddenly are still so powerful, and I cried that she was ripped from our story, gone forever from the world and from Jesse.

This story still feels authentic even with its flaws, and I see why I loved Bridge to Terabithia so much when I first read it.