Classics Review: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

The story involves the friendship between two children, Jessie and Leslie, and the imaginary world that they create together: Terabithia. The story mostly reads as a slice-of-life look at their childhood until the final few chapters, when it is heavily implied that Leslie drowns in the creek that delineates the borders of the “real world,” and Terabithia. How then, does the book hold up in 2022? Read on for my thoughts.

Pros:

The author’s portrayal of the main character is believable
The author weaves in questions of culture and belonging into the narrative (even if they aren’t always welcome; see “cons” below)
The version of the audiobook I purchased included an interview with the author and her son, which gave additional insight on the, “story behind the story” (that her son had a childhood friend who was unexpectedly killed by a lighting strike).

Cons:

I found the depiction of women in this book troubling. For 95% of the book, every woman in the book other than Leslie and her mother is fat (the 5th grade teacher), ignorant (the big sister), a bully (Janice Avery, but more on that in a second), nagging (the mother), or some other negative trait. You could chalk this up to the POV character’s point of view, but Paterson chose to write him that way. I know the teacher gets somewhat “redeemed” after Leslie’s death during her one-on-one conversation with Jessie, but that’s the aforementioned 5%.
I am even more troubled by the depiction of Janice Avery. Over the course of the story, it is revealed that she is beaten by her father. When the other kids find out about this, she is more upset about the “secret being revealed,” than the facts of the situation. While this may be the unfortunate reality for abused children (having to placate their abusers and hide their abuse), the fact that the rest of the cast really didn’t act on this information is horrifying. While some might chalk this up to, “local culture,” it all happens so quickly that it almost feels glossed over. I don’t think it is inappropriate for children’s stories to discuss “heavy” topics or themes, but I would hate for a child to come away from this book thinking that the culture depicted in, “Bridge to Terabithia,” was the way of the world and that little to nothing can be done about child abuse.
I understand why Leslie had to be cremated, as seeing her, “laid out,” would require a level of detail about Leslie’s death that would probably engender a lot of discomfort in the book’s target audience (children). On the other hand, I can think of so many reasons why Leslie shouldn’t have died: her swimming ability, her intelligence, the fact that she didn’t need to go to Terabithia that particular day, etc. I guess you could argue that death is like that sometimes: unexpected and unfair. Even if you accept that interpretation, however, the book glazes over the mourning process, and no funeral is offered. I also couldn’t help but think of the trope, “women in refrigerators,” as Leslie’s death inspires Jessie to become a stronger, more caring person.

Conclusion:

I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong about the book. My concern, based on the cons above, is its appropriateness as a children’s book. As I’ve said, I think it is entirely appropriate to discuss “heavy” / “adult” topics in books for children. I even like the author’s description of doing so as a, “dress rehearsal,” for the topic in question. I question how it was addressed in this book, however. Ultimately, I wouldn’t recommend it for kids, and I imagine most adults will prefer other options (except, perhaps, in cases of nostalgia).

Check it out here.