Feb
6
Written by:
Kathleen Klocko
2/6/2012 9:14 AM
Another Hot Read from the 2011-12 Elementary Reading Olympics List
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Jesse can’t wait for the new school year to begin! Wait till the fifth grade boys in his rural Virginia school see how much faster he has become thanks to his rigorous training over the summer. He’s sure to win the honor of being the fastest in his grade, making all that hard work pay off. Finally, the big day arrives. Despite the novelty of the first day of school with a new teacher in a new grade, the morning drags slowly for Jesse because he’s just so stoked for the races to begin during the first recess! All the boys are primed and ready to see how they match up since last spring.
But what’s this? A new girl in their class, from the city, wanders over to the boys’ turf and asks if she can join the races. Doesn’t she know girls play girls’ games around here? Jesse has already decided Leslie is different – weird maybe? – when she announced to the class and teacher that morning that she doesn’t have a television in her home. Imagine that. Jesse had never thought about not having a TV. It just didn’t seem natural. And now here she is asking to race with boys? What Jesse is about to find out is that Leslie is different, unlike any friend he has ever had. She is about to turn Jesse’s life upside down. Jesse is about to discover things about himself -- wonderful things – that he never knew existed. And for his part, he is about to impact Leslie’s life as only a best friend can. For that’s what they are about to become -- best friends.
Nothing in Jesse’s life has prepared him for someone like Leslie. That they even become friends is amazing in itself due to the vast difference in their backgrounds and family values. Together they forge a magical bond, so magical they name their secret place Terabithia, a name Leslie knows from the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, a series filled with wonder and enchantment. They even decree that the entrance to Terabithia be special and challenging. They crave their secret place together, where they rule as king and queen, because their world outside of Terabithia is not always a friendly place. It is particularly cruel to any who dare to be different. Jesse has never been “different” before. His world is changing like never before.
This book has always had special significance to me. It has touched me like no other book ever has. I have read it several times, and the emotional impact has never lessened. The combination of the superb writing and the powerful plot developments in this great book has left a lasting mark on me. The book may not touch you as deeply as it has me, but it’s a terrific read which I hope you will choose. Cross the bridge with Jesse and Leslie into Terabithia, and perhaps you too will experience the magic.
Oh, perhaps you’re still wondering who won the race on that first day of school and thought I forgot to tell you? No, I didn’t forget. But I wouldn’t dare spoil it for you, so I leave it to you to find out yourself! Happy reading!
By Jack