Bridge to Terabithia

Description

Now a major motion picture from Disney, starring Josh Hutcherson and Zooey Deschanel! Discover the beloved Newbery Medal-winning story by bestselling author Katherine Paterson, a modern classic of friendship and loss. Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief. In addition to being a Newbery Medal winner, Bridge to Terabithia was also named an ALA Notable Children's Book and has become a touchstone of children's literature, as have many of Katherine Paterson's other novels, including The Great Gilly Hopkins and Jacob Have I Loved.

David Paterson is the son of author Katherine Paterson and the inspiration for her novel. Like the main character, Jesse, David experienced the overwhelming grief of losing his best friend when he was only 8 years old. In addition to taking readers through the making of the movie, he tells them about his own experience, his memories of his friend, and how he coped with her death in this book.

"Set in contemporary rural America, the story is one of remarkable richness and depth, beautifully written." -- The Horn Book "Eloquent and assured." -- Kirkus Reviews 15 Banned Books Every Tween and Teen Should Read -- Brightly.com