Book Review - Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Cowell, 1977)

HarperCollins Australia

by Nicholas, 12, Durban



This book takes place at various destinations such as at Jess Aarons' farm in Lark Creek, his school and Terabithia, an imaginary place. It is set during the 19th century. The two main characters are Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. Jess Aarons is an artistic boy who lives on a farm with his family. He is determined to do well in the things he likes.

During a holiday, Jess Aarons practices running so he can be the fastest runner in fifth grade. After a while, Leslie and her family come and live in the house next to Jess Aaron’s farm and they become friends. One day, Leslie and Jess are exploring the forest. They find a place they call Terabithia and, together, they built a fortress there. It becomes a special, magical place for them.

I was dejected when I had almost finished the book but then I was cheerful. This book is a fantastic novel and it isn’t too hard to read, though it was a bit short. I learned that you must always have courage and a good imagination. I think this would be an excellent Grade 7 class novel. I would recommend this book to children of the ages 12 to 13.