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

I love this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At the end, when the girl dies, it's so sad!! I read it during class and fought back tears the entire time. The words are so perfect, so moving, it's like they reach out and yank you into the story.

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.

I read this in 2014. Why does that seem like forever ago? All I remember is that the girl liked swinging around on her rope swing over the river. And maybe there was a tiger in the story? Or maybe that was a different book. And I also remember a spoiler about the river, but spoilers are not good to tell, so I will not tell them.

Wow. This must be the worst review ever. But I can't stand not saying something so there you have it. I hope you have a nice day!

„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.“

I can’t remember if I saw the movie with Josh Hutcherson or AnnaSophia Robb or now but that’s how I heard about this novel. I know it’s a children’s novel but I still wanted to read it so I got the Kindle version and the Audible version.

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This book follows Jesse, who befriends the new girl at school after she beats him at a footrace. They create a new world they call Terabithia while they’re playing near the creek, which helps them cope with the issues they face both at school and at home.

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I knew this book was going to have a sad ending and I still fucking cried when I heard about what happened to Leslie. I’m not happy, dude!

I’m still sniffling as I’m writing this review because she was my favorite character. I think I resonated with Jesse more than I thought I would since I grew up in a lower income family as well.

I know all about grief since my father died in December 2015. I know it’s not the same as losing a close friend to something so sudden and tragic but my father’s death WAS sudden.

I can’t imagine losing my best friend like that at such a young age. I really feel sympathy for Jesse, as no one deserves to feel the pain I know he must at the end of the book.

I know the power of Terabithia all too well as well since I’ve created worlds like that. I’ve created entire worlds with a huge cast of characters and backgrounds and everything.

Hell, I probably still have some of it written down somewhere. I need to take a look at some point in the near future so I can publish it.

I’d definitely recommend this book if you want a good, easy read with some fantasy elements. This book reminds me a lot of the earlier Chronicles of Narnia novels.

This book will make you cry, period. Not by employing any manipulative sentimentality, but by being honest. It is a rare thing to be so affected by fictional characters like this. This book saw the birth of friendship; a friendship in the truest sense of the word. A perfect example of give and take; a balanced mutuality based on respect. And we almost witnessed the evolution of that friendship into something more potent, profound, altering and everlasting. But just then we helplessly watch the abrupt unfair end of that beautiful blooming, a real nip in the bud (Sorry spoilers!).

This book is about those wonderful nascent days of childhood, where everything is impossible and beautiful. It’s about two young children who didn’t fit in their respective worlds. They stowed away to build a bridge to their own private land, where they reigned as king and queen; it was a just kingdom where simply put, negativity wasn’t allowed. When we had first met Jesse, he was an awkward boy unsure of himself, a budding artist, but he rather felt embarrassed about his art. He was at odds with his almost all-female family, hungry for his father’s waning attention, acceptance, and approval. Leslie changed him. She helped him grow, not only as an artist but also as a person. Ultimately, she'd help him deal with his loss, almost unendurable pain, she'd help him heal and recover from it, to be a better more mature and generous person. That he managed to pass on what he learned was his victory. Not for a second will this book would feel like it’s geared toward children. In fact, this should be essential reading for adults. It makes you question certain things. Maybe we’d understand something in the process.

Its obligatory visual cousin is different but equally good albeit a little more detailed. One of those occurrences where both mediums are equally rich and enriching. The book’s counterpart is just a visceral display of the same beautiful emotional bond.

This book will make you cry, end of. Not at the inevitable loss, but at what could have been.

Additionally; some books are pure magic where every word is made up of joy, and this is one of them. Even better on rereads. What a surfeit of imagination, the display of childhood, and the power of friendship. Watch these kids forge a kinship. Leslie brimming with intelligence. When Jess was thinking about how he could draw a whale, you could see the vibrancy of colors in his mind. Pure magic this book is.

I cannot love this book enough. I cannot reread it enough. And I continue to learn from it.

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

পাঠক জীবনে এমন কিছু বই সবসময়ই থাকে যেগুলো পড়ার পরও তার রেশ থেকে যাই বহুদিন। এই বইটা ঠিক সেই ক্যাটাগরির। পড়া শুরুর পর এক বিন্দুও থামতে পারিনি। আর শেষ হওয়ার পর? বিষন্ন ছিলাম সারাটা দিনই। বইয়ের প্রতিটি কদমেই লেসলির প্রেমে পড়ে যাচ্ছিলাম অবিরত। খুব ইচ্ছা হচ্ছিল লেসলির বন্ধু হতে। তাই বইয়ের পুরোটা সময় ই লেসলির পাশেই নিজেকে কল্পনা করে যাচ্ছিলাম জেসের পরিবর্তে । However, I thought I'd be okay reading this. BUT I WASN'T. I JUST WAS NOT. I JUST ABOUT CHOKED UP WHEN THE DAD SAID:
"Lord, boy, don't be a fool. God ain't gonna send any little girls to hell.

I don't know why. But I really just started crying there.

গল্প সম্পর্কে কিছু বলা উচিত। গল্পটার শুরুতেই দেখা যায় জেসের বিশাল পরিবারকে। বাবা মা ৪ বোন আর সে। পরিবারের মানুষ জনের থেকে তেমন একটা ভালোবাসা পায় না সে। মাঝে মাঝে ভাবে জেসকে হয়তো কুড়িয়ে পেয়েছিল তারা। এবার পঞ্চম শ্রেণীতে উঠছে জেস। তার খুব ইচ্ছে সবাইকে দৌড়ে হারিয়ে স্কুলের সবচেয়ে দ্রুত তম ছেলে হতে। কিন্তু কিছু দিন আগে আসা তাদের পাশের বাসার মেয়ে লেসলি হয়ে গেল দ্রুততম। আস্তে আস্তে জেসের সাথে লেসলির বন্ধুত্ব হয়ে যায়। লেসলি হয়ে উঠে জেসের প্রাণের বন্ধু। তারা পাইন বনে একটা কাল্পনিক রাজ্য তৈরী করে। যার নাম টেরেবিথিয়া।

আমি বইয়ের রিভিউ খুব ভালোভাবে উপস্থাপন করতে পারি না। তবে এটুকু বলতে পারি এই দীর্ঘ পাঠক জীবনে এটা ছিল সম্পূর্ণ অন্যরকম একটা বই। যার পুরো টুকুই মায়ায় জড়ানো।

I have finished my first reading of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. While my son was reading this book for school, his enthusiasm prompted me to read it as well with the plan that we would watch the film adaptation together afterwards. How could I resist???? Bridge to Terabithia is just a great book, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it offers some very important lessons to it's young readers. It addresses gender stereotypes/roles, spirituality, bullying, friendship, individuality, family stressors, loss, and both the crises and happiness that so often accompany childhood. I thoroughly enjoyed both the book and film experiences. The film is a bit different though (when is it not?), with some altered scenes here and there and a visual focus on fantasy while in the Terabithia setting. I would recommend both experiences for children and adults alike. Let go of the heavy responsibilities of the "real world" for a few hours and play!

My favorite quote:
“Shh," he said. "Look." "Where?" "Can't you see'um?" he whispered. "All the Terabithians standing on tiptoe to see you." "Me?" "Shh, yes. There's a rumor going around that the beautiful girl arriving today might be the queen they've been waiting for.”

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Library Checkout

[Warning: This review contains spoilers. Sorry! It's incredibly difficult to discuss this story without including them.]

'He thought later how peculiar it was that here was probably the biggest thing in his life, and he had shrugged it off as nothing.'

Jess Aarons lives in the small town of Lark Creek. He's spent his summer leading up to the fifth grade practicing on being the fastest runner in the school. With shock and amazement he's beaten in the first race by the new girl, Leslie Burke. Their friendship happens suddenly and becomes as comforting to each other as if they had been friends for years. In order to escape the normality of the world, they create an imaginary place in the woods called Terabithia.

'For the first time in his life he got up every morning with something to look forward to. Leslie was more than his friend. She was his other, more exciting self – his way to Terabithia and all the worlds beyond.'

Jess was a quiet introspective child and Leslie's introduction into his life not only gave him the courage to do what he loves (drawing, despite his fathers disapproval) but she opened his eyes to the world and changed his outlook on life completely. His world is turned upside down when he comes home after an outing only to be told that Leslie is gone. Jess refused to believe this and he simply couldn't comprehend with what he was being told. He withdrew from reality and remained convinced that all he had to do was go to Leslie's house and knock on her door and she would be there, as she always is. This was a moment of pure heartbreak. His bravery in the subsequent days and how he chooses to honor Leslie's memory was truly admirable.

As you can see, this is another read specifically done for Banned Books Week and yet another one that I fail to agree with. Bridge to Terabithia touches on grief and death and the loss of vital people in your life. Unfortunately it is to be expected that we will all have to deal with this at one point in time, some earlier than others. Considering this is a middle grade novel and is a beautifully written depiction of grief, I see no reason why a child could not read this for better understanding on eventual sadness. Katherine Paterson actually wrote this story after her son lost a childhood friend and she struggled to come up with the proper way of explaining it to him. It teaches them that it's normal to be sad when you lose someone, that it's okay to wallow in grief and mostly of the importance of honoring that persons memory.

I think my daughter picked this to read with me just because she thinks it's funny that I'm a big cry baby.