Bridge of Terabithia

Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. NY: Crown. Jess wanted to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade and loved to draw. To achieve his running goal, he woke up early to practice because he wanted to beat the kids in school. Leslie Burke became his neighbor, classmate, and his toughest running opponent. At the beginning, Jess was not very fond of Leslie.  But, they became inseparable when together they created a secret magic kingdom in the woods. They named it Terabithia and were the rulers of the land where their imaginations ran wild. Unfortunately, Jess has to suffer the loss of Leslie whom drowned in the creek. Now, Terabithia was queenless. Jess goes back to their magical kingdom to mourn and apologize to Leslie for not asking if she could go with his on a trip to Washington the day she died. To keep Leslie’s memory alive and cope with her death, he continues to keep Terabithia alive. The book ends with Jess appointing his sister, May Belle, queen of Terabithia. This enchanting and magical story discusses death and the pain it causes when a close friend dies. And also touches the controversial topic of cremation. These topics are not frequently discussed in the dining table. Therefore, this book brings children exposure to such debatable topics. Friendship is probably the central theme in Bridge to Terabithia. They both accepted each other for who they were and neither had to worry about pretending to be someone else. When they found themselves in their magical kingdom, they were able to forget about the pressures of the outside world and rejoice in their friendship.