جسر الى تيرابيثيا

by Katherine Paterson

Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone.

That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Classics, Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

163 pages, Unknown Binding

First published October 21, 1977

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this in fourth grade, I loved it because it was enchanting, and reminded me very much of 'secret hideouts' I made with friends at the same age. When I read it again later in life, aloud to my younger brother and sister ages 10 and 12, I was choking back tears to keep reading aloud, and they were crying. If you've never read it (or, I suppose now, seen the movie) beware, this review is a spoiler! What I have learned from this book is that our assumptions about children and what is "appropriate" for them are seriously flawed. We assume they need color, fantasy, and bling, and that they can't deal with "hard" topics like death and, oh, speaking of that, life. Kids are people too. And they do understand and can deal with hard topics in many ways better than us adults, who have learned to choke back the tears instead of actually crying. When I was a kid going to my secret hideouts, I wasn't just playing, I was escaping. If kids don't understand real life, then why do they run from it, then, as in this book (and in real life) gain life-altering skills while "away" and come back stronger? I may choke back tears now, but when I was 10, I went to my secret hideouts to cry and deal with things in my own way, in my own world, just like Leslie and Jesse do in Terabithia.

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

You would think that even after seeing the movie and knowing how this ends I wouldn't cry, but here I am.
This book was very enjoyable! I can't remember if I read it as a kid, but it was definitely worth reading now that I'm older.
The writing is pretty and gives you a very country-vibe with vibrant imagery and cozy settings, but I felt like the characters lacked a lot of description. Maybe it’s a children’s book and i’m not used to the shorter pace, but it felt like a lot more needed to be fleshed out. The relationships between the characters. Day-to-day activities. Dialogue scenes. It all just happened very quickly and it was hard to gauge how much time was actually passing, and it felt like the characters and plot were progressing faster than they probably actually were.
I really need to pick up more children’s classics because reading a book written and presumably set in the 70s was so captivating! References to the Vietnam war and the fearlessness about talking about religion and God was just something I rarely see today, and adding in details so particular to the time period almost 50 years ago now was just very cool!
I couldn’t get the movie out of my head when I read this, even though I haven’t seen the movie in years. Baby josh hutcherson is so precious that I think it added a spark to the book just seeing his face in my mind. However, comparing the book to the movie was a little bit detrimental because I think I liked the movie a little more? Just because it took more time to flesh out the characters and add detail to the world of Terabithia, whereas in the book Terabithia was, ironically, rather underexplained.
I loved how it described Jess as having a nervous gut. There were references to Jess having anxiety in this and i’m glad it wasn’t portrayed as something like HE NEEDS TO MAN UP! HE’S AFRAID OF SWIMMING AND HIS DAD PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HIM TO BE PERFECT, HE SHOULD BE THE MAN OF THE FAMILY! Instead it’s approached as if fear and shyness is natural and you need to work through it organically, and I thought that was really beautiful and encouraging.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick update from 2/19/22: We finally watched the movie (2007) they made of this classic. We enjoyed it immensely, and I love the visual magic they brought to the world of Terabithia. I'm happy to report, though, that it was not the sob fest for us that the book was. I found the movie a lot easier to bear than the written story.

Original review:
I'm heading out into the backyard now, in the dark, with a flashlight, a shovel, and my paperback copy of Bridge to Terabithia. I'm going to be careful not to dig a hole in the same place where I've buried Old Yeller, but to give this book its very own sacred burial space.

When I come back inside, I will inform my 11-year-old daughter that we are never going to talk about this book again.

“Never,” she will say.

We will look at each other and nod in agreement. We will never talk about this book again.

Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to bits.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My damn heart is broken 😭😭😭😭😭😭

This book broke my heart and left me in tears when I finished up reading it. And I was not expecting it to be this sad and devastating in the end as I went into this children's classic blindly.

The story tells about the blooming friendship between two kids, Jesse Aarons, and his new neighbour, Leslie Burke, two lonely kids. Jess being the only male child in his family and expected to take care of errands and his sisters; Leslie being an outcast and bullied at school.

The story developed fine and the writing style made it feel like life becomes better with a friend, a sweet younger sibling who looks up to you, an understanding teacher and it's best to avoid negative people be it your family or so called 'friends'.

It's the second half that the writing got intense and got me sobbing mad. It dealt with death and grief which I feel were handled well. I cried more so because I got too attached to these characters as well as their pet dog P.T.

Leslie's character is delightful and memorable. She's such a nerd! And an amazing personality.

Jess's character is amusing. He's that personality which says there's always sunshine after a rainy day.

I love the fantasy world they built. It's something to be rejoiced and something for which a price had to be paid unfortunately.

I didn't enjoy the stereotypes of body shaming, the way some characters were described and in some instances the unwelcomed violence in a book which is meant for children.

But a memorable read indeed!

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike most readers here, I learned about this book only after my teenage years. I envy those who were able to read it when they were young. I will compensate for it, though, by giving this book to my future son or daughter, as I think that this is a book that all kids should read.

Creating secret hideouts in the woods with intricate details was one of my favorite hobbies when I was young. A few books by Enid Blyton acted as a catalyst for this behavior. So when I read about the magical kingdom of Terabithia, many nostalgic thoughts passed through my mind.

Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke will transport you to a new world through the marvelous writing of Katherine Paterson.

Can children’s books make an adult cry? Please read Bridge to Terabithia. You will instantly get an answer to the above question.

—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Twitter ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I loved this book too! Its so sweet, and sad and wonderful. I cried.

My teacher read it out loud in my 5th grade class and when the character died, I turned to the little boy next to me , and said, "That's not true is it?" and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and nodded. It was probably one of the first mature interactions I ever had with an "icky" boy.

[thefourthvine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the books that taught me that Books Can Hurt. It was part of what I now consider to be my fourth grade teacher's reign of terror - she read Where the Red Fern Grows and Bridge to Terabithia out loud to us (and those are just the books I was in her class for), and I seriously think she did it for the days when, inevitably, the entire class would spend the afternoon weeping at our desks.

That said, though - and it needed to be said - this is a good book; it was so engaging to me at that age that I got it from the library after the first day she read it to us and finished it by myself later that night. (Admittedly, this was not uncommon behavior for me. I did not like reading at other people's paces.) Of course, this meant I got to cry twice, and also spend the intervening time trying not to cry because I knew what was coming.

The characters are engaging. The story is memorable even 25 years later. But this is the book that taught me two important lessons: do not trust Katherine Paterson as far as you can see her, and do not trust fourth grade teachers, either.

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even when I was 12, I thought this was a crap book.

What's with all the hype? This was so fucking boring. I read this in 6th grade, during a time when I was prone to sobbing at anything. We watched Ben Hur in class and I cried like a baby. I don't even remember why.

We read Where the Red Fern Grows aloud in class and I was sobbing in front of everyone. I didn't shed a single fucking tear for this book.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely a great book. I loved to read it!

I don't know if you ever watch the film from 2007, if you do, but you haven't read the book, I can tell you that the movie is a good adaptation BUT it can mislead you in the "fantasy" factor, even I used that label in my review but only because, at this moment, I don't have a better label to describe the book in a fair way.

I tell you all that since in the film, they gave a lot of emphasis and screen time to all "those magic creatures", however, they don't exist, in the book, the kids are really clear on that, they are playing sure, but they don't start to watch magic creatures from the thin air, they just using something called "imagination".

I tell you that too, just to make you understand that if you want to read this book expecting something in the style of Harry Potter or Narnia, you will get a real disappointment, BUT if you are looking to read an amazing, coming-to-age story, you will read one of the best books in that area, genre and/or topic.

Due to clumsy reasons, this great book has been banned in many libraries. What I can tell you is that the kids here talk and think in a very real and honest way, so I don't think that can be a good reason to ban this book.

This is a truly great novel about growing, about maturing, about the impossibility of controlling life and that you have to treasure each moment that you are living since you never know when something will change forever.

Also, you won't understand the reason for the title of this book until you read it, but please, don't do any research or investigation, since the impact of the story depends of that you don't know anything ahead.

This is a short book, just read it and it will live in your heart forever.

[Steven Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't see how a middle grade book can do this to somebody.

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 1 out of 5]

I dimly remember reading this as a child. It seems not to have made much impression on me however, and considering I often read books above my age group, it might have been for that reason. I say this because I am not rating it low for traumatizing me as a kid, but because rereading it as an adult makes me annoyed at how a book with so many negative messages could win a Newberry.

Lets run down a few of them.

1. The sheer shallowness of Jesse's sisters as characters. It borders on misogyny, and I don't accuse books of that lightly. The two older sisters are thoughtless and often detestable, including after the big twist. May Belle is portrayed more sympathetically as just being kind of a puppy dog, but is still annoying and is the character used to talk about hell.

2. The weird attitudes on violence. One cringe-worthy passage is when Jesse, grieving over Leslie, slugs May Belle hard in the face because she asked if he saw her laid out. He feels bad about it, but good lord, could you imagine that today?

Another is how the school girl bully is weeping not so much over being abused, and hardcore, but the other kids knowing it and cruelly teasing her about it. And how kids need to defend parents who abuse.

"There was a rule at Lark creek, more important than anything Mr. Turner made up or fussed about. That was the rule that you never nuxed up troubles at home with life at school...It didn't matter if their own fathers were in the state hospital or the federal prison, they hadn't betrayed theirs, and Janice had."

And there's no real reflection on this. It just happens, and is taken for granted, even by the enlightened Leslie who seems more proud that she gave good advice than horrified by how many parents beat their kids.

3. As other reviewers said, this horrible chestnut in so many words:

If you cheat on your girl friend by going on a trip to an art museum with your teacher who you had a crush on, she will be dead and cremated when you come back.

The whole death plot twist has many odd messages. What is she trying to say? That if you try to escape, it's bad? Jesse uses art to escape his life, and it can't be a coincidence she died during his trip to an art museum. She died on the way to her own source of escape, the quiet place where she could believe all the good things about the rural life, and none of the bad.

If she died neutrally, say from a disease, it still would be a tragedy. But the manner of death is too linked to Jesse in a way that blames him for comfort, and that might be part of the trauma many kids feel when they read the book.

4. The death in general.

Reading it now, it's odd that for a book that might help kids deal with loss, how little of it actually is designed to do so. She dies when Jesse is away. She is cremated so he can't see the body. There was no service. Jesse has to make his own closure. It's done very briefly too.

It's odd. There's also the whole "punished for escapism," "she died to give him imagination," "too good to live," and other subtexts. What was striking about rereading it is how brief the death and aftermath is. It fades right into the "building a bridge" chapter, then it ends.

It's weird that a book with so many conflicting messages should be winning the most prestigious award in kids lit. I don't think hard themes should be avoided, but the book really doesn't handle them well. Heck, death is a hard subject for adults to deal with, let alone kids. Extra care should be taken, but if anything Bridge feels more like a realistic, literary take aimed as much for parents as kids.

[Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are only two books that have made me cry. Granted, I was in sixth grade when I read this for the first time. But like most books I review on Goodreads, I sat down to read this again before posting my review. My sentiments about Bridge to Terabithia haven't changed much.

I don't remember a lot from my pre-teen years. Little fragments crop up from time to time when I see an old commercial on Youtube or I play an 8-bit classic on my Wii. This book I remember. And as I re-read it I started recalling the circumstances that surrounded my initial reading of this book. I remember the girl I had a crush on who sat behind me in class. I remember growing my hair out and listening to Iron Maiden, experimenting with image, stripping away those last external indicators of child-like innocence and trying to be more "grown up." Then I remember crying in my closet near the end of this book.

Years later I have a career, a daughter, a wife. I still listen to Iron Maiden, but I don't wear the oversized metal shirts like I used to, and my hair is cut short most of the time. I don't have to try to be an adult anymore. What I was pushing back then I reflect on as an inevitable development now. Now I find myself retracing my steps, trying to go back to that time in my life, but like Rita Dove observes in her poem "Driving Through," it isn't always as easy or clear cut as we hope it to be. I'm a different person now, at least that's what I told myself when I started reading this book again a few years ago. How strange that sometimes drawing a connection between the person we were and the person we become happens inadvertently, at the most unexpected moments, when we spend half of our lives trying so hard to move forward and half of lives trying so hard to go back.

So there I sat, more than a decade later, with the same emotional reaction I had as a child telling me to stop reading, and nostalgia and the comforting memory of childhood ebbing me back towards youth.

[Rodrigo Unda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si no lloras con este libro, genuinamente pensaré que no tienes sentimientos. Es inevitable no sentirte conmovido por la historia, que aunque tiene un desarrollo muy rápido, se saborea por completo al tener personajes muy bien construidos.

Todo pasa tan rápido y al mismo tiempo lo ves en cámara lenta.

Lee este libro si buscas algo ligero. Genial para quitarte un bloqueo lector 🤩

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Мост към Терабития“ ме впечатли и развълнува изключително силно... В тази чудесна книга по страшно красив и лиричен начин е разказана тъжна история и са описани обществени недостатъци, което я превръща в истинско съкровище за всеки читател. Въпреки че е кратка, тя е изпълнена с ярки персонажи и стойностни послания, които несъмнено си заслужават вниманието. Преди всичко, книгата е приказно четиво за огромното значение на приятелството и въображението, от което съм безкрайно възхитен!





„Думите ѝ го накараха да реши, че тя има изключително високо мнение за него. Това не беше обикновена похвала, каквато можеш да получиш в училище или вкъщи, а нещо много по-истинско. Джес запази спомена за тази случка и го скри дълбоко в себе си като пиратско съкровище.“


„Лесли нарече тяхната тайна страна Терабития и зае на Джес всичките си книги за Нарния, за да знае как стават нещата в една вълшебна страна — как дърветата и животните трябва да бъдат пазени и как трябва да се държи един владетел. И точно тук идваше трудната част. Когато Лесли говореше, думите се лееха толкова царствено от устата ѝ, че човек веднага виждаше в нея истинска царица. А Джес едва владееше родния си език, камо ли поетичния изказ на един цар.“


„Всички в семейство Бърк бяха умни. Може би не ги биваше особено в поправянето и отглеждането на разни неща, но пък умееха други работи, които не бяха по силите на хората, които Джес познаваше. Един ден например, докато работеха, Джуди слезе при тях и започна да им чете на глас, главно стихове, някои от които на италиански. Джес, разбира се, не разбра нищо, но се потопи в дълбоката мелодичност на думите, дивейки се на блясъка и ума на забележителните си познати.“

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needing a short book before beginning another major reading challenge, I turned to this piece by Katherine Paterson. It’s one I enjoyed in upper elementary, though many of the details have slipped my mind, which makes a re-read all the more justifiable. Jess Aarons is eager to begin the fifth grade. He hopes to finally be able to call himself the fastest boy in school, having risen early to practice all summer long. When a new family moves in next door, Jess is curious to see what to make of them. Having moved from Arlington, Virginia, they are sure to have money and likely the attitude to go with it. When Jess meets Leslie Burke, she is nothing like he expected. A tomboy if ever there was one, Leslie befriends Jess and they are soon inseparable. While Jess must cede his chance to be the fastest in school, he and Leslie soon find new and exciting ways to spend their time. Realising that they enjoy one another’s company and could care less what others feel, they create a world all their own, where they can rule and lock the rest of humanity out. Terabithia is hereby created and the only means by which to access it is a rope tied to a tree. Jess and Leslie spend all their time there, hiding Terabithia from family and friends alike. When Jess is invited to go into Washington one day, he forgets to invite Leslie. Upon his return, he discovers what a truly horrible thing it was not to have reached out. A stunning piece that resonates with the reader and leaves them thinking, while also searching for a ray of hope. Recommended to those who need a little heartfelt emotion in a quick read, as well as those who enjoy young adult fiction with a deeper meaning.

There are times when you need to turn off your brain and choose something a little lighter to pass the time. I usually turn to young adult fiction for that, though I suppose some of the full-length fiction I read could be said to do that as well. This piece may be the former, but light it is not! Katherine Paterson develops an exceptional protagonist in Jess Aarons, who is loosely modelled after her own son. Jess comes from a poor family and has high hopes for his upcoming school year. The reader learns much about his backstory—the only boy, sandwiched between four sisters—and how he longs to have a companion all his own. Throughout the piece, Paterson offers up some wonderful character development as Jess befriends Leslie and things move forward. Emotions develop and turn to a sobering coming of age by the end of this tale. The number of secondary characters in this piece all serve to keep the story on its toes, while not becoming too burdensome. Paterson does a masterful job with Leslie Burke as well, as the young girl complements the protagonist while also shining in her own right. This is a story that is a mix of happiness, sadness, and revelation, allowing the reader of any age to take something away that they will not soon forget. Told in a mere fourteen chapters, Paterson compacts so much into a short book that the reader will surely extrapolate to carve out additional chapters for themselves. What might have continued happening on Terabithia? How could Jess and Leslie have continued to grow closer? What of the constant pains the Aarons family proved to be for Jess when he wanted solitude? Paterson uses a masterful narrative and dialogue to tell this story that will leave the reader wondering why things had to end as they did, but understanding the deeper message as they cross the bridge into Terabithia.

Kudos, Madam Paterson, for such a wonderful book. I think, given a year or so, my son will be ready for this adventure. I will make sure to introduce him to many of your other works as well!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridge to Terabithia is a staple of many middle school literary curriculums; however, it is one of the most challenged books in school systems across the country. Opponents of this book preposterously assert that it has references to witchcraft and Satanism. I read this book in 5th grade and gathered no references to the use of magic at all. The book involves two children having imaginary adventures in the imaginary land of Terabithia. Such imaginary games are common for children. Yet some assert that Katherine Patterson’s writing about such common activities is a reference to witchcraft. The book is an amazing piece of children’s literature and one of the only pieces from fifth and sixth grade a number of my peers remember reading. It stood out to us. We remembered it and used it to become better writers and thinkers. It helped us transition to more complex books. Educators and teachers should advocate strongly for this book to be read in class.
Patterson instills into this book many important thematic elements of a great story in a manner that younger students will be able to identify with some thought on the book. Foreshadowing, character development, symbolism, and a clear connected thread and purpose are present throughout the whole story as Jess makes friends with the new girl Leslie, learns important lessons from her that help him to become more confident, and then is forced to say goodbye when she dies entering their imaginary land of Terabithia.
To an older reader, the foreshadowing of Leslie’s death is a little heavy-handed, but in no way poorly presented to a younger audience. “Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was as delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction and it was blown to bits” (Paterson, 99). When May Belle becomes horrified of Leslie’s independent thoughts on the authenticity of the Bible, she exclaims, “What’s going to happen if you die?” (Paterson 109). Paterson makes the readers contemplate Leslie’s death briefly and insincerely several times before forcing them to do it for real. When she dies, they must revisit those thoughts they’d only touched on. “The Perkins place was one of those ratty old country houses you moved into because you had no decent place to go and moved out as quickly as you could” (Paterson 10). If the reader takes this passage seriously, they must know that the Burkes will leave Jess, in one way or another. After Leslie’s death the Burkes do leave. “No one ever stayed in the old Perkins place” (Paterson 161). As a result of this heavy foreshadowing, the books overall tone adopts one of reflection, as opposed to simple telling, a story that had to be told, that demanded to be told. Patterson’s accomplishment here is powerful to a child’s appreciation of literature and their ability to deceiver more complex literature later.
Another interesting literary event that young readers can benefit from analyzing is Jess’s evolution as a person, especially with regard to Terabithia’s changes.

It was Leslie who had taken him from the cow pasture into Terabithia and turned him into a king. He had thought that was it. Wasn’t king the best you could be? Now it occurred to him that perhaps Terabithia was like a castle where you came to be knighted. After you stayed for a while and grew strong you had to move on. For hadn’t Leslie, even in Terabithia, tried to push back the walls of his mind and make him see beyond to the shining world-huge and terrible and beautiful and very fragile?...Now it was time for him to move out (Paterson 160).

Jess is simply not the same person he was at the beginning of the book and what logically follows is that Terabithia is not the same place to him that it was. Concurrently, he must move out. A heavy handed indication of Jess’s transition occurs with his father near the entrance to Terabithia. His father begins, “‘Hell ain’t it?’ It was the kind of thing Jess could hear his father saying to another man. He found it strangely comforting, and it made him bold.” (Paterson 148). In the beginning, Jess’ father would barely speak a word to him. Jess relationship with his father has changed as well.
On the same note, children can benefit from seeing the method for entering Terabithia changing with Jess and with Terabithia’s significance to Jess. In the beginning, entering Terabithia involves a scary trip swinging across a river on a rope. In the end, Jess builds a bridge to Terabithia, changing one of its key characteristics and symbolizing the increased ease Jess has with accessing what he learned from Terabithia. In the end, Jess seeks to open Terabithia’s lessons to his younger sister, Joyce Ann. “And when he finished, he put flowers in [Joyce Ann’s] hair and led her across the bridge-the great bridge into Terabithia-which might look to someone with no magic in them like a few planks across a nearly dry gully…” Jess leads Joyce Ann into this kingdom of learning and evolution, a confident adolescent, just as the confident Leslie had done for him once. He has learned from Leslie, about himself and his insecurities, and about life, and can share these lessons with Joyce Ann.
Also valuable as classroom discussion is what parallels, if any, Leslie has with Jesus. Certainly a Christ archetype is present in many works and discussion of such can benefit students. As with so many literary elements, it is hard to say whether the author intended this parallel, but that idea is unimportant except to express it to the students. Leslie makes ambiguous comments at the beginning of the book about how she likes and dislikes the country. Jess is talking to her about her old home. “I really miss it.” She replies. “You must hate it here” (Patterson 41) he says. She says she does. “I wanted to come too” (Paterson 42) she says, talking of her parents’ decision to move. Her contradicting sentiments parallel Jesus’ experience in the garden of Gethsemane, where he asks god to save him from his impending crucifixion, but exclaims truly that he is glad to do it if it is God’s will. One could argue that her playing with the boys and running faster than them is analogous to Jesus’ miracles. Her challenging people’s interpretations of the Bible is another possible parallel. Also, Jess describes her arrival as “probably the biggest thing in his life” (Paterson 10). She dies as a result of coming, as a result of ultimately helping Jess transition from an insecure introspective adolescent into a more confident man. This is a weaker thematic element, and perhaps Paterson did not intend it, but its presence is something that may be discussed briefly in the classroom.
Someone unfamiliar with this book may think that these elements are too complex for younger readers; however, Paterson presents them expertly to a younger audience while engaging the students with a character they can relate to, Jess. He is constantly introspective, thinking not only about an issue, but on his thoughts on the issue too. He frequently wonders why he is thinking that way, leading him deeper and deeper into his mind. He has feelings for Ms. Edmund that he does not yet understand as well. The beginning of the book is hard focused on portraying Jess as having external suffering as well “Ever since he’d been in first grade he’d been that “ ‘crazy little kid that draws all the time’” (Paterson 4). The number of sentences used to portray this manner of suffering almost rivals his introspective lamentations, and establishes a character that many confused early adolescents can not help but identify with and cheer on. If this element commands girls’ attentions less, then Leslie’s charisma is more than enough to bridge the gap. The use of swear words helps to prevent children from resenting the book and closing their minds to it simply because children at that age are told not to swear. This book swears? Wow, that must be cool. I want to read on. And they do. And more importantly, they listen to what they are reading.
Bridge to Terabithia is not a book of separate literary elements, but rather elements that play beautifully and deftly together to create a complete literary work, one to help children transition to more complex literature and to make them think of new ideas. It should be staple of every early middle school English education regardless of objections that may be voiced against it. If this book is not on your child’s curriculum, it is worth your time to ask why and challenge such a decision. Afterwards, you and your child should read it together. You’ll both enjoy it.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was time for him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength.

Ha, I just finished this book in a puddle, which surprised me, because I have read it before. I read it with my youngest granddaughter, when she was about eight, and I don’t remember if I cried then, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

It is a beautiful, sweet, poignant story. So perfect for a young person , or apparently for an old one. It was on a list of banned books.

“ Bridge To Terabithia has stayed in the top 100 banned/challenged books since it's publication. Like most children book authors whose books have been challenged, Paterson finds it “ironic” that her book has been banned.”

Hey, she isn’t the only one.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for Middle Grade March.
I’d never heard of this one before it was recommended to me.
It’s a very sad poignant story. Grief.

It’s magical and mystical in parts.

The ending caught me off guard. Yes, there was tears.

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridge to Terabithia -

I'm a grown man and I cried the duration of the last fifty pages. I gave this book five stars, here's why:

It is absolutely incredible that a writer can invent a character, and bring him to life so convincingly that we find some of our deepest emotions aroused when we read black words on a white page. I was amazed at how deeply I felt towards some the characters in this book...fictional characters!

Character development is absolutely masterful in Bridge to Terabithia. It is easy to identify with both Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. They not only forge a friendship with each other that is profound, uplifting, and edifying - but they also forge that same friendship with you. I particularly enjoyed Jess's character - full of childlike reason, error, and love. I sometimes felt like he was my own child. It feels good to read him - especially within the last fifty pages.

The majority of the plot is gentle and accents the beauty of childhood, often embellishing it with innocent humor. While nothing is unimportant or uninteresting, the author very skillfully tells the story in such a way that it feels like "everyday life". Any suspense is usually trivial and very scarce, but the story remains very compelling and thoroughly enjoyable to read. (I have to say that a good writer should be able to tell a gripping story without the sometimes garish and seemingly mandatory thrill of suspense found so much in fiction.)

It seems heartless and depraved to say that I'm glad Kathrine Paterson and her son David were able to experience what they did (I can't think of a better way to say that without giving anything away.) - but I think Paterson gained some beautiful insight through that experience that she has used to help others, especially children - rather artfully I might add.

I need to mention one thing I wasn't particularly fond of. Janice Avery (a minor character) reveals to her friends that her father beats her - "the kind of beating they send you to jail for" says Leslie. And at the advice of Leslie, Janice decides to pretend that her father is innocent, and that her friends are just spreading "rumors" all over school. The author says something like "kids shouldn't ever betray their parents, and that's just what Janice Avery had done." See the contradiction? "Honour thy father and thy mother" - "Domestic abuse is wrong, no matter what". I don't think this kind of conflict belongs in a children's novel, even as a very minor vehicle for plot development. I wish the author had omitted that, or at least found an acceptable solution.

Notwithstanding its faults, I love this book. Read it, it's good for you.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here’s another "great" book about a dysfunctional group of people. (This family might even be worse than the family in Al Capone Does My Shirts). I can’t remember a single time the entire family got along – including Christmas! But if you’re wanting some world-class sibling fight scenes, look no further. There’s some prize-winning battles in here.

Along with the constant brawls, is the continuous use of the Lord’s name. I’m not sure why the family mentions God so often since after the mother got mad at the preacher three years ago, they only attend church on Easter; not that the rest of the family cares – they all think church is boring.

And then there’s the crush the boy has on his teacher. But it seems to be reciprocated. What’s up with that? She gives this ten-year-old special attention in class, even taking him out for a day (just the two of them – kind of like a “date”).

While the book does end with the brother taking his little sister into his imaginary land (in the place of his friend), I just can’t see that that makes up for everything else. That’s a lot of wading just to get to something like three sweet paragraphs at the end.

Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities & Substitutions - 17 Incidents: crud, shut up, d*mn, b*tched, durn, durned, heck, dang, h*ll

Name Calling - 23 Incidents: hippie, peacenik, stupid, dumbhead, Yellow-bellied sapsucker, dumb, yeller, dumb, dunce, dumb dodo

Scatological Terms - 1 Incident: bl**dy (as in lots of blood)

Religious Profanities - 42 Incidents: Lord, thank the Lord, for heaven's sake, good gosh, oh my God

Religious & Supernatural - 17 Incidents: Magic "...it could be a magic country like Narnia..." Reference to God's attitude at Creation "Like God in the Bible, they looked at what they had made and found it very good." Spirits "'This is not an ordinary place,' she whispered. 'Even the rulers of Terabithia come into it only at times of greatest sorrow or of greatest joy. We must strive to keep it sacred. It would not do to disturb the Spirits.'" Ghost in a drawing "How could you make a ghost come out of the fog?" A religion of "magic" is mentioned followed by a prayer. "'O God,' she began. She was more at home with magic than religion. 'O Spirits of the Grove.' 'Thy right arm hast given us the victory.' He couldn't remember where he had heard that one, but it seemed to fit. Leslie gave him a look of approval. She took up the words. 'Now grant protection to Terabithia, to all its people, and to us its rulers.' 'Aroooo.' Jess tried hard not to smile. 'And to its puppy dog.' 'And to Prince Terrien, its guardian and jester. Amen.' 'Amen.'" A boy makes a girl swear on the Bible never to tell a secret he wants to keep. Church attendance "Since Momma got mad at the preacher three years back, Easter was the only time in the year that the Aarons went to church and it was a big deal. His mother always cried poor, but she put a lot of thought and as much money as she could scrape together into making sure she wouldn't be embarrassed by how her family looked." Children fight, not wanting to attend church. The argument is primarily about clothes. Church is referred to as "boring." "Ellie said she would go to church if Momma would let her wear the see-through blouse, and Brenda would go if she at least got a new skirt." "''Cause if you don't believe the Bible'--May Belle's eyes were huge--'God'll damn you to hell when you die.'" Children suggest going to "inquire of the Spirits what this evil might be..." Children chant and "pray" to the "Spirits" of the grove. Hell and whether or not children are sent there is briefly discussed. The conclusion of the conversation is: "'Lord, boy, don't be a fool. God ain't gonna send any little girls to hell.'" A bird hopping is taken as a "sign from the Spirits" because they made a "worthy offering." "Father, into Thy hands I commend her spirit." A young girl swears on the Bible that she will keep a secret, emphasizing that she is swearing to something higher than Momma or her siblings.

Romance Related - 22 Incidents: A childhood romance/crush with initials carved onto a desk. A reaction to a beautiful girl is noted as causing "Even his toes had felt warm and tingly." The next paragraph notes that "...she gave him a look with those blue eyes of hers that made him zing like one of the strings she was strumming." Childhood romance "Girl friend", "kiss you" and "could go to you-know-where and warm his toes" are all referenced. Lust related "Jess kept having visions of Mrs. Myers dressed only in a pink corset being weight in." Girl Friend "Brenda and Ellie always managed some remark about 'girlfriend.'" Children write a "love letter". "Dearest Janice", and it is signed "kisses." A child is accused of having a "secret love" in another place. Children have a 'date' "'Reckon you all know that Janice has a heavy date with you know who.'" Date referenced. Childhood relationships "Billy yelled a cuss word, and the entire back seat plunged into a heated discussion as to whether Janice Avery and Willard Hughes were or were not in love and were or were not seeing each other secretly. Boyfriends referenced. A child's "sweetheart" is mentioned.
Being close to a girl made a boy feel "dizzy from the closeness." A boy has a crush on his teacher: "Miss Edmunds was one of his secrets. He was in love with her... This was too real and too deep to talk about, even to think about very much. Her long swishy black hair and blue, blue eyes ... and she had this soft floaty voice that made Jess squish inside... she was gorgeous. And she liked him, too. *A few other similar instances are indicated a few other times. "He knew she was happy to be with him, and that was enough to know. A boy has a crush on his teacher: She would bend her head down close to his face to give some explanation or ask him a question, her black hair falling across her shoulders. Men would stare at her instead of the pictures, and Jess felt they must be jealous of him for being with her. The teacher as she talks with the boy: "Her hair brushing his cheek as she leaned over to look at it." Thoughts across a boy's mind: "Leslie--dead--girl friend--rope--broke--fell--you--you--you." Bosomy: "He could see the seventh graders headed for the bus--the huge bossy bosomy girls and the mean, skinny, narrow-eyed boys." Mentions immodest clothing: "'C'mon, Leslie,' he said, and then he made himself turn and give Janice Avery one of those look-overs from frizz blond hair, past too tight blouse and broad-beamed jeans, to gigantic sneakers." A reference to Twinkies "padding" someone's "bottom." After picking up a puppy "'Watch it,' Jess cautioned. 'It sprays worse'n a water pistol.'" The conversation continues: "'Is it male or female?' and then a reply 'Boy.'

Attitudes/Disobedience - 36 Incidents: 4 year old throws a tantrum and is disciplined. It is stated that "Four-year-olds were a pure pain." A child speaks of hating another. "I hate Joyce Anne."
Bullying: "They would even stand outside the girls' room first thing every morning and make the little girls give them their milk money before they'd let them go to the bathroom." A child accuses another of having stolen "'She stole my Twinkies!'" A child's anger is encouraged "'You gotta kill Janice Avery. Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!'" Followed by "'You gotta beat her up into a million pieces!'" Follow up on page 50: "'It ain't as good as seeing her beat to a million pieces.'" It is noted that someone smokes in the girls bathroom. A threat "'Jess Aarons, I'm going to kill you.'" Lie "'You lie, Billy Morris!'" Cursing "Billy yelled a cuss word..." Anger and Revenge "'She deserves everything she gets and then some.'" Arguments and speculation over boyfriends and girlfriends.
Theft "He even stole paper and crayons from school to do it with." Lie "'Gotta do an errand for my mother,' he lied." "Jess stole a ribbon from Brenda's drawer..." Anger "But the silly cars kept falling off at the curves until his father was cursing at them with impatience." Anger "'Cheap junk.' His father kicked at the floor dangerously near the track." A child's tantrum. "If he yelled at her to get the heck off him, she'd stick her index finger in the corner of her mouth and holler. Which would, of course, crank up his mother." This continues through the next paragraph, where his mother seems to scold him. Cursing "next a string of cuss words which were too loud to be blurred by the closed door." Dishonesty "'I told her to just pretend she didn't know what on earth Wilma and Bobby Sue had said...'" Threatening "He grabbed her shoulders and made her look him in the face. She blinked in the dim light like a startled chicken. 'You listen here, May Belle Aarons,' he whispered fiercely, 'I catch you following me again, your life ain't worth nothing.'" Keeping information from Mama. "If I know them, they'll trick new clothes out of somebody. It would make you throw up to see how those girls make a spectacle of themselves at church." Girls behave in a way to draw attention to themselves at church, hoping to draw a "jealous eye." "Why are you so mean to me?" "Will you shut up, May Belle? You'll have everyone in the whole house woke up with that big mouth of yours." "'Tell Momma what?' 'How you just stand there staring at me when I ain't got my clothes on.' Lord. She thought he was enjoying it. 'Yeah, well,' he said, heading for the door so she wouldn't throw anything else at him. 'Pretty girl like you. Can't hardly help myself.' He could hear her giggling as he crossed the kitchen." "He didn't want her waking Momma up before he got away. He was scared to look back even after he was in the car and on the main road for fear he'd see his mother screaming after him." "He knew she was happy to be with him, and that was enough to know." A boy secretly goes on a "date" with his teacher. His attitude at the end of the date is: "It didn't matter how angry his mother was. She'd get over it. And it was worth it." A boy believes his parents are lying to him about his friend's death. An argument over whether or not a boy is grieving a death: "'Will you shut your mouth, Brenda Aarons?' His mother sprang forward, the pancake turner held threateningly high. 'Well, Momma, he's just sitting there eating pancakes like nothing happened. I'd be crying my eyes out.'" A boy hits a girl in the face "as hard as he had ever hit anything in his life." **Note that he feels bad about this later, and wants to tell her he is sorry but is too tired to find the right words. Anger - a boy screams and throws papers and paints.
"'I hate her,' Jess said through his sobs. 'I hate her. I wish I'd never seen her in my whole life.'" **Note that Jess later repents of these comments, saying: "'I didn't mean that about hating her,' he said. 'I don't know what made me say that.' His father nodded to show he understood." A boy refuses to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance when told to by his teacher. He thinks: "... he didn't really care. What could she do to him, after all?"

Conversation Topics - 12 Incidents: A boy has a secret which is that he is "in love" with a girl. It's his teacher that he's in love with. Teasing/Bullying/Peer Pressure "Jess had written about football, which he really hated, but he had enough brains to know that if he said drawing, everyone would laugh at him." A girl has more compassion for animals than people: "Maybe I got this thing for Janice like you got this thing for killer whales." A child's perception of parents "It had never occurred to Jess that parents were meant to be understood any more than the safe at the Millsburg First National was sitting around begging him to crack it. Parents were what they were; it wasn't up to you to try to puzzle them out. There was something weird about a grown man wanting to be friends with his own child. He ought to have friends his own age and let her have hers." Smoke is mentioned "Besides, the smoke is so thick in there you need a gas mask." Again, a girl has more compassion for animals than people and is prodded by a boy to do the right thing/good deed for a person: "He looked at her. 'Well,' he said. 'What should we do?' 'Do?' she asked. 'What do you mean what should we do?' How could he explain it to her? 'Leslie. If she was an animal predator, we'd be obliged to try to help her.' Leslie gave him a funny look." "Did you know her father beats her?"
Theft - It is discussed about charging clothes, wearing them and returning them. The family fights over this. "I'm a liberated woman, Jess Aarons. When I invite a man out, I pay." An argument over whether or not a boy is grieving a death: "'Will you shut your mouth, Brenda Aarons?' His mother sprang forward, the pancake turner held threateningly high. 'Well, Momma, he's just sitting there eating pancakes like nothing happened. I'd be crying my eyes out.'" It is noted that a girl was cremated. Again it is questioned whether or not people are appropriately grieving for the girl who died.

Parent Takeaway
The family in this story is entirely dysfunctional and it is paraded throughout the entire book. The parents do not get along with each other or the children, and the siblings do not get along either. There is constant fighting, taunting and lying. Maybe the only redeeming relational quality is that at the very end of the book, the main character invites his sister to be queen of his imaginary land of Terabithia. The two main characters have some odd discussions about Christianity and God, particularly about hell; and there is a few humanistic thoughts woven here and there. The main characters are definitely not examples of great character.

**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!

So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”You never know ahead of time what something’s really going to be like”


(Cropped from the paperback cover illustration: Puffin Books, 2015)

Yes, I cried so much I couldn’t properly see to finish the last chapter.

I clearly remember watching the movie back in 2007, the rich imagined world and that adventure Leslie and Jess created for themselves. But for the life of me I could not remember how it all ended. So I grabbed the book of my shelf and decided to find out.
Now I know that I mentally blocked-out the end; because just thinking of Jess’ reaction makes tears well-up in my eyes.

I love how this book show the readers just how to use their imaginations - How to build your own world and live your own adventure. Even as an adult I’m tempted kick reality out and go live in my own world.
I like that Katherine starts of this book kind of slow and boring and then picks up the pace and voyage as the fantasy world grow.

The end just striped me raw. The way Jess’ feelings are expressed and how he deals just ripped out my heart.

[Carmine R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ti ricordi di quando eravamo re e regina del regno oltre il fiume?

"Terabithia era il loro segreto, ed era un bene che fosse tale. Come avrebbe potuto, Jess, spiegarlo a un'altra persona?"


Cos'è Terabithia? Perché i bambini la cercano costantemente nei loro ardenti sogni d'avventura?
Forse un luogo nella quale paura e rabbia non hanno spazio, ove si è eroi per sempre e la solitudine diventa una sbiadita ombra di ricordi oramai lontani.
E quando la realtà bussa alle porte del nostro rifugio per presentare il conto dei tanti miracoli concessi, si giunge alla conclusione che Terabithia non morirà.
Cresce chi non dimenticherà Terabithia nel momento in cui le tenebre ne abbracceranno ogni anfratto.

(A distanza di anni, resta il dolce ricordo di un'opera di formazione dall'architettura semplice, senza nessuna pretesa al di fuori del conforto di fronte all'inevitabile. Sullo stesso tema - l'accettazione di un lutto - suggerisco il meraviglioso Sette minuti dopo la mezzanotte, scritto da Patrick Ness.)

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just re-read the book before watching the movie. I'm sure I read it as a kid, but I'm reviewing this as an adult.

This book is sad. It's like My Girl. The characters are innocent and fun, and the world they create with their minds is playful. However, tragedies of this kind are not my thing. It seems that the point of the book is the tragedy, to have a boy's friend die. I'd rather spend my time reading something a little more up-beat.

I've said this before, I don't at all mind characters dying, and I love certain tragedies. This one is just a little too simple to really fire me up, and it just succeeds in making me depressed.

[jv poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this when I was very young (thanks, Julie!). I couldn't remember particulars of the story, but the impact of the book never left me.

Currently in a re-reading phase, I was curious to see how I would feel about the book now.....more than 30 years after it was first published. To say that "it has stood the test of time" would be a disservice. And the impact? To borrow from @ericsmithrocks: "ugly crying".

Knowledge, in this case, was not power. It still felt like a punch-to-the-gut-from-out-of-nowhere. Sadness seeped into my soul and I sobbed.

Well done, Ms. Paterson. Well. Done.

[Madeline · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I read this in 5th grade, I really liked it for the first 75% of the story. Jess was kind of a moron, but Leslie was really cool, and I found myself wishing I had a friend who could make up great stories and imaginary worlds in our secret fort in the woods.

And then Katherine Paterson decided to smack me upside the head with the cold, dead fish of Reality. (I'm not sure how that metaphor was supposed to work, but I'm going with it because that's honestly how it felt)

Leslie DIED?!?!

I can still remember getting to that part of the book and just sitting there saying, "Wait, what? WHAT?" I refused to believe that anyone could DIE just by falling into a creek, and still think it's a really stupid way to kill off a character.

Read for: 5th grade English

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I've seen this book on various lists for years, I never got around to reading it & had no clue what it was about. I was in the Army when it was published. I know one or two of my kids read it, but it was one of the rare books that I didn't at least skim. (I think my wife read it, instead.) When I first started listening to it this morning, I didn't really get into it at first. It's well written, but wasn't really my thing. Still, it was short & I've been meaning to get around to it, so I kept on. I'm so glad I did.

It didn't really grab me until the last quarter & then it wouldn't let go. The end was incredible & really hit me right where I live. (If you don't know how the book ends, don't read this spoiler.) When I was 10 & in fifth grade, my father died. Paterson had a great model since her son had lost his best friend, a girl much like Leslie, when he was about the same age. She was struck by lightening. Her characterization was wonderful & the ending is haunting.

My edition had an interview with Paterson & her son, David, who apparently illustrated some editions & had dealt with making this into a movie. It was well worth listening to. Paterson said The Yearling was one of her inspirations which isn't surprising.

Apparently this book is hotly debated & often banned by schools because, like the The Yearling, it deals with death. Some parents don't think their kids should even read about it; a damn fool idea, IMO. As David, I, & many others found out early, it happens. While there is no preparation for it, knowing that others have survived it does help, even fictional people. David also mentions in the interview that at the end of the first screening of the movie, the kids came out happy with the ending while it was the adults that only thought of the sad part. That's part of being a kid, I think. I sure thought the very end was happy, too.

Anyway, I'm sorry it took me so long to get around to reading this & I highly recommend it for all ages.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book that has stood the test of time.

2020: Read this aloud to the kids as it's on the Battle of the Books list this year for my daughter. I had forgotten how much is covered in such a slim book, yet how fast it goes. Also the casual cruelty of both Jess's family and bullies at school, not to mention how Leslie and Jess retaliate. Interesting.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Por años busqué este libro, la película me encanta, ni siquiera recuerdo cuantas veces la he visto pero si la encuentro seguro que la veo de nuevo.
Esperaba más de la historia, para ser sincera y la forma en que está escrito no fue como pensé, la narrativa es buena pero no me agradó tanto como otros libros infantiles.
La historia es linda, eso no puedo negarlo, estuvo más o menos.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't even know how to start reviewing this book. I didn't like it. It's hard when you read a beloved book and you just don't see what everyone else saw. Maybe this book's time has passed. I don't know. But I found it to be woefully dated, and problematic as a result.

Okay, I get that we're supposed to see that Jess and Leslie don't conform to gender norms. The problem? It's based on 1970s ideas of what gender should be. Which means that things that wouldn't make people bat an eye today were emphasized as a huge deal. Jess likes to draw. He's girly! Leslie rarely wears dresses and likes to run. She's boyish! The music teacher wears jeans and no lipstick. *gasp* What's wrong with her?! To make matters worse, when characters were portrayed as sticking to traditional gender norms, it was implied that it was a negative thing (you could see this especially with Jess's older sisters).

Then there was the sexism. Oh, boy. I know it was written in 1977, but it was still so grating. One of the worst parts was when the teacher talked about scuba diving as being an unusual hobby... for a girl. Combined with the misogyny that the little boys were throwing around on the playground, it made for an uncomfortable read.

Some aspects of the story and characters just don't work anymore. One of the ways (one of the only ways, really) that the author seemed to be able to think of to indicate that a character was bad was to make them fat... and then have others comment on it. Seriously, pretty much every insult was about someone's weight. The school bully (more on her in a moment) got called a cow and a hippo, and commentary was made about the size of her butt. Jess's sister Brenda got the same treatment, even having her weight commented on at one point by her six-year-old sister. (Full disclosure: I've never been overweight in my life. In fact, I've been skinny. So I've never had to deal with fat comments. If the amount of fat-shaming in this book was making me uncomfortable, I can't imagine how it would read to someone who struggles with their weight.)

There were also some things that just read as inappropriate. For example, I was totally weirded out when Jess's little sister accused him of staring at her when she was in her underwear... because he follows up with what's basically a pedophilic incest joke. (Why would an eleven-year-old boy know enough about that to joke about it? Yeesh.) Then there was the trip he took with his teacher. Alone. To another city. Where she buys him lunch and ice cream. Oh, yeah... and he had a terrible crush on her. I understand that this was written before the Mary Kay Letourneau era, but it's just one more thing that's going to have to be explained to younger readers as being not okay. Yes, in this instance, it was innocent. But there have been real-life cases where it wasn't. And then there was the scene where Jess shot milk straight into Leslie's mouth with no warning (other than a command to open her mouth) and no consent. This wouldn't fly in an era of food allergies, for one thing... but the whole scene was just gross. If I'd opened up the book and randomly stumbled across that page, based on the word choices and actions, I would've assumed it was erotica:

“Here,” he said. “Open your mouth.”
“Why?”
“Just open your mouth.” For once she obeyed. He sent a stream of warm milk straight into it.
“Jess Aarons!” The name was garbled and the milk dribbled down her chin as she spoke.
“Don’t open your mouth now. You’re wasting good milk.”
Leslie started to giggle, choking and coughing.
“Now if I could just learn to pitch a baseball that straight. Lemme try again.”
Leslie controlled her giggle, closed her eyes, and solemnly opened her mouth.
But now Jess was giggling, so that he couldn’t keep his hand steady.
“You dunce! You got me right in the ear.”

The bully (if you can call her that; bullying was apparently pretty tame in the 1970s and seemed to involve stealing hopscotch rocks and Twinkies) was also handled in an appalling way. We find out that she's a nasty girl because her father beats her. But then--and I don't know if I've ever been so disgusted with a book's message--it's implied that she did something wrong because the secret got out. It was shameful. It was supposed to stay hidden. In fact, the advice to this poor girl? Ignore the taunting from the other kids and they'll forget about it and everything will go back to normal. (Except she'll still be beaten at home... but that's okay, I guess.) The author even reiterated this advice in her author's note, as she recounted hearing from children who'd been "helped" by the book:

There was the child who found her family’s dark secrets were suddenly the gossip of all her classmates and only got through the most horrible time of her life by remembering Leslie’s advice to Janice Avery—to pretend she didn’t know what anybody had said or where they’d got such a crazy story and that everybody would forget about it in a week.

Yeah. "Such a crazy story" definitely needed to be forgotten so the bully's father could go back to beating her without having to worry about a visit from child services. What... the... hell?

I know this book was used in schools, and while at one time it probably brought up some interesting discussions about death and grief, I think it might be too fraught with other issues for today's teachers to be able to get through all the ensuing discussions in a reasonable amount of time. I don't think I'd want my kids reading it without some real discussion about the problematic bits... and there are plenty.

[annie ☁️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

God why have I only read this now? I love it so much, every single bit of it!