Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson, is a beautifully-told coming-of-age story. It is, rightfully so, an award-winning novel, with likable characters, a simple yet deeply meaningful plot, and a spectacular ending. The book is told through the eyes of the main character, Jess, though not with his voice. Jess is a young boy who is entering 5th Grade. He lives with his 4 sisters and parents on a farm. They are a particularly poor family, where most of the chores fall to him. At school and at home, he is expected to fill a masculine role as a man. His father especially pressures him to have more manly and adult responsibilities, views, and hobbies. Jess has a talent and passion for art, but he is forced to suppress it, as his family views it as feminine. The only thing Jess knows will distinguish him from others is his running. He clings to his love for running as a way to satisfy the standards people have set for him, and a way to fulfill himself. All that Jess really wants is to be the fastest boy in 5th grade. He has a golden opportunity to take his title, and as the first day of school edges closer, Jess can’t wait. The rest of his summer goes by mundanely, with the only interesting bit being Jess’s new neighbors (a rich family with a daughter named Lesley). Recess comes fast on the first day of school, and the racing begins. Heats one, two, and three come and go. However, before heat four, a girl shows up — Jess’s neighbor Lesley. She asks to race, and Jess decides to show sympathy and vouch for her. Gary Fuelcher, the boy in charge of the races, decides to let her race in heat four. The runners line up. The countdown reaches zero and they’re off. Jess takes an early lead, but something unimaginable happens, Lesley passes Jess, and wins. The entire 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are stunned. Jess is speechless and dumbfounded. For the rest of the week, Lesley follows Jess around school, much to Jess’s disgust, until eventually, Jess decides to give her a chance, and they become best friends. One day, they decide to make themselves a kingdom, a magical place where they would be King and Queen. They swing across the creek in the woods behind their fields and create Terabithia. They build a castle stronghold in Terabithia, and discover the sacred oak tree grove, a place of pure magic and true tranquility. Jess and Lesley spend every day at Terabithia: talking, making plans to defeat school bullies, listening to the spirits in the grove, and telling stories. On one particularly rainy morning, Jess’s favorite teacher invites him to Washington D.C. Jess accepts and decides not to invite Lesley. This point in the book is what I would call the start of the climax. The climax of this book has a perfect balance of fulfillment and surprise. It is elegantly written, and although the end of this book is not what I expected, it didn’t disorient me. It concluded Jess’s character arc, and accentuated the changes that Lesley caused. The second reason I recommend this book is the plot, especially Jess’s character arc. It is a classic coming of age tale, told in a beautiful way. The plot is simple and easy to follow at its surface. It follows Jess and Lesleys adventures together, in their kingdom, Terabithia. But if you look deeper into the plot you find the intricate details of Jess’s character. Every decision Jess makes is related and motivated. It brings him alive in a special way. Jess’s character arc is also creative and well written. Jess begins the book nervous and fearful. It is entertaining and beautiful to watch Lesley change him into a confident and independent person. The third and final reason I recommend this book is because of the value it holds in literature as a whole. It is no doubt a “classic” and is worth taking just a day to read. It was published in 1977, and won the Newbery Medal the next year in 1978. The novel is widely considered top ten among children’s books and is used in English classes across 12 different countries. It has also been in the center of discussion about the limits of children’s books, with people questioning its language and even banning or censoring the book. In the end, Bridge to Terabithia is a novel written with relatability and meaning. It follows likable characters, has entertaining and beautiful character development, a creative plot, and a satisfying ending. By writing such a meaningful and touching book, Katherine Patterson has shown children everywhere that there is a place like Terabithia for everyone, where you are king or queen even if you feel like a misfit. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1977. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Book Reviews
All the Answers, Reviewed by Madeline Male, 14
All the Answers is an enjoyable novel, and so much more. It explores a yearning that humankind shares: having all the answers of the world, at your fingertips. Say goodbye to questions and guesses, right? The world would be so much simpler! Actually, when a shy middle schooler, Ava Anderson, finds a magical pencil that can answer any factual question, it just makes her life more complicated — not less. At first, it’s fun to ask the pencil trivial questions. As Ava’s best friend Sophie says, “It’s like we have a secret spy camera on the whole world!” Later, the two friends realize this might not be a good thing. Nevertheless, Ava continues to ask the pencil her questions. Through the pencil, Ava learns that her mom has a health problem. The pencil shares this shocking information with a matter-of-fact tone, like it didn’t just throw a wrench in Ava’s life. Obviously, Ava is scared and worried by this news, and she feels that she has to face it alone. This is a huge burden looming over her. Original photograph by Madeline Male, 14 As life with the pencil goes on, asking it questions spirals out of control. Even though the pencil’s answers are clear, it still creates confusion and anxiety in her life. Ava is a kind and thoughtful person, but stressful times can put anyone’s personality to the test. Even before she found the pencil, Ava was someone who worried about everything. Now, she uses the pencil to feed her worries and let them grow. As one question leads to the next, Ava feels that she needs all the answers of the world. Plus, Ava realizes that pencils don’t last forever; there are only so many questions she can ask it before the lead runs out. As Messner writes, “Ava could imagine herself scraping desperately away at the wood with her fingers until they bled, trying to get the last bit of lead to give up its answers. And then what?” This is one book that sticks with you long after you finish reading it. In a way, we can all relate to it. We don’t have all the answers, but maybe that’s a good thing. If we knew “all the answers,” then we might be so worried about “what-ifs” that we stop living fully. All the Answers made me think about my world in a positively upside down way. After finishing All the Answers, I realized that strong tug-and-pull emotions distinguish the nuanced books from the all-happy books. The book brought me along a journey, letting me into Ava’s mind. If you’re looking to explore our human desire to have more answers, then this book is for you. All the Answers by Kate Messner. Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books, 2016. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Danny, the Champion of the World, Reviewed by Philip Chen, 12
Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl is one of the most underrated books I have read. In comparison to his other books such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I feel like this book doesn’t get as much praise as it deserves. Like his other famous books, Danny, the Champion of the World is very funny and imaginative. The story takes place around 1975 in a United Kingdom filling station (i.e., a gas station), on a country road out among empty fields and woody hills. There is a lot of traffic and the station sees a lot of business. Behind the station is a caravan in which Danny and his father live. You would think that their life was all hard work without any fun, but you would be surprised. Danny is a very clever, loyal and helpful boy. He helps his father, a mechanic, fix other people’s cars in the filling station. Danny’s father is described as “sparky” in the book, because he always comes up with amazingly interesting ideas. Like his grandfather, his father is a master poacher of pheasants and has lots of creative ways to catch them. He also has a deep, dark secret, but I’m not telling you it! Mr. Victor Hazell is an eccentric millionaire and is fairly well known. Every year, he holds a pheasant-shooting party, which allows people from miles around to travel to his estate to shoot pheasants. He is very conceited and loves his fame. His shooting party has drawn lots of wealthy people to shoot pheasants in trees and then keep the birds for themselves. Danny and his father are very poor and haven’t eaten pheasants in a long time, so they want to eat them now. Mr. Hazell is the archenemy of Danny’s father, so the father and son have to come up with a plan to stop Hazell’s big shooting party. What is Danny’s master plan for catching pheasants, and most importantly, will it work? And what makes him the Champion of the World? Find out in Danny, the Champion of the World, a fascinating novel recommended for anyone over the age of eight that will keep you turning the pages. A master storyteller, Dahl never disappoints his readers with his vivid and hilarious detailed descriptions of events. Moreover, his characters are fun, mischievous, and touching. I was especially touched by Danny’s close relationship with his father. The loving bond between them makes Danny, the Champion of the World a memorable book that tickles and warms your heart. Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1975. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
