(Note: I read this book a long time ago, but I forgot when and I am rereading it)
By: Katherine Paterson
Rate: between very good and supreme
Jess is a boy who loves to draw. He wants to impress his schoolmates by getting first place in the races that take place during recess. Jess practices and practices. When school finally starts, though, he is beaten by a new GIRL named Leslie who just moved in and actually lives right next to him. Jess is angry. But slowly, he begins to like Leslie who is pretty, smart, creative, and adventurous. They become friends, but not boyfriend and girlfriend, of course. Soon, Leslie makes up a magical place in the woods that she calls Terabithia, and Jess and her are the king and queen. To enter Terabithia, you must swing across a rope over a river.
Jess admires Leslie, and Leslie enjoys Jess’s drawings and paintings. For Christmas, Jess gave Leslie a dog they named Prince Terren, or P.T. for short, and Leslie gave him paints and paper. One day Jess got a phone call from his music teacher, Mrs. Edmund, whom he admired and loved. She asked if he wanted to go to a museum with her. Jess was dazed and overjoyed. He went with her and they had a great time. Once Jess came back, he saw his siblings and parents all gloomy and sad. Shockingly, he found out that Leslie was dead because when she was swinging the rope across the river, the rope broke and Leslie hit her head on a rock. First Jess did not believe it for a day. When he woke up the next day he thought it was all a dream. But after he realized it was true, Jess was mad. You left me when I needed you most. He began to shout that he hated Leslie. He hated her for leaving him when he relied and needed her the most. Slowly Jess began to calm down. He built a bridge to Terabithia and let his curious and kind sister, May Belle, be the new queen.
Leave a Reply