Childhood classic crosses bridge to big screen

by Jennifer Conlee, co-associate editor

As a child, my life revolved around reading, the way the lives of other children revolved around sports or dance.

When I was really young, I was introduced to a book that quickly became my childhood favorite.

I still read “Bridge to Terabithia,” by Katherine Patterson, at least once a year. To this day, it can still bring tears to my eyes.  It’s one of those books that live in the heart of its reader.  It transcends age. Even though it is written for children, adults can appreciate it as well.

Every time I read the book, I am able to grasp something from it.  Recently, when I read it, I was able to understand a quote that, in my youth, went over my head.

When I first saw the movie preview for “Bridge to Terabithia,” I was delighted.  I was not disappointed in the movie either.

The story revolves around Jess Aarons, a 10-year-old boy growing up in rural Virginia with his four sisters.

On his first day of fifth grade, he is determined to prove that he is the fasted kid at school.  When a new girl beats him, it’s hard to fathom that he will soon become inseparable with Leslie Burke.  Leslie is different from the other girls he knows.  She doesn’t wear dresses, she runs with the boys, and she doesn’t act prim and proper.

However, the two, who live next door to each other, become the best of friends and create a magical land across the creek from their homes, which they call Terabithia.

Formed through their imagination, Terabithia is a magnificent kingdom, full of magic and mystical characters that try to defeat them.  Their enemies are based on other students at their school.

Janice Avery, the seventh-grade bully, becomes a giant with a heart.  Gary Fulcher becomes the annoying Squilcher, a large, mutated squirrel intent on the kingdom’s destruction.

As their friendship matures, Jess learns things about courage and loyalty.  Then, just when he knows that he has never had a friend like Leslie, after she has charmed the town and everyone who knows her, tragedy strikes.

Jess is left stranded.  He feels as if the magic of his life has left him. But it is now that he finds that the magic has been deep inside him all the time.

In the face of tragedy, he builds a bridge across the creek into Terabithia, and introduces his younger sister, Maybelle, who idolizes him, to the magical land.

The film was tremendously well done.  AnnaSophia Robb and Josh Hutcherson, who both have started building great future careers, were selected for the roles of Leslie and Jess, respectively, and they were fantastic.

The movie also featured Zooey Deschanel, who is famous for her roles in “Elf,” which also stars Will Ferrell, and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” as Ms. Edmonds, the teacher Jess has fallen in love with.

I went to the movie knowing what to expect, but many people have not read the book, and were disappointed.  The previews led audiences to prepare for a “Narnia” like epic, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.  While “Narnia” was a fantastical adventure set in a new land, “Terabithia” was completely imagined by the two children.  Only they could get in.

I knew, as a child, I had found a great book, one that should be read by all children.  It teaches friendship, along with the importance of using one’s imagination.  The use of imagination is something that adults seem to suppress in children, believing that it’s more important to learn about serious things, such as math and science.

I know now that I have discovered an equally great movie that will teach the magic of “Terabithia” to a new generation of children who never seem to have time to read anymore.

I give the movie a perfect five stars, and I will eternally be grateful to Katherine Patterson for writing the book.

As Leslie Burke said, “Just close your eyes, but keep your mind wide open.”  This sums up the whole movie.