A
Title: Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Peterson
Publication Info: HarperTrophy May 24, 2005
ISBN: 006073941X
Genre: Top 100 Banned Books
Submitted by CC
—Sixth grade, a new school, I’m changing and so is the world around me. My teacher, Mrs. Harris, reads a book out loud every day after lunch. She read “Rifles for Waite” by Harold Keith, the book that led me to my profession as an historian, she also read “Bridge to Terabithia.” She simply sat down, opened the book, and started reading. We were transformed. No other book had been as compelling to us before. No other book had us talking about it at lunch and wondering what would happen next. No other book earned such an emotional reaction with boxes of tissue being passed around the classroom while we listened as one of our new best friends died.
The story of two kids and the imaginary world they inhabit isn’t groundbreaking. What makes this story so different is the depth the characters have, and not just hero and heroine. Family, teachers, and other supporting characters are well drawn. They are there for a specific reason, to move the story along. So often in young adult (I hate that phrase) books the supporting cast is nominal and rather flat. Their only purpose is set dressing for the h/h. Here they are truly part of the story and part of the lives of the h/h.
When tragedy and death strike it is love, friendship, and compassion that allow the survivor to truly get on with the business of living.
I’m confused as to why this book would be banned. It is a story of friendship, love, loss and living. It teaches us that we’re not quite the odd-ball we thought we were, but that we each are truly special. It allows kids to explore reality from the safety of fantasy. To learn to make their own world, so they can better make their way in the REAL world. It is strong, stirring, and encouraging. There is a reason why it has won so many awards including the coveted Newberry Medal Award and has been in print for so many years, because at it’s core it is a well told, engaging story.
I was curious as to why it had been banned and wondered if it was because one of the main characters died. I checked Wikipedia, and that was one of the reasons, the rest are the usual WTF reasons book-banners use.
“The censorship attempts stem from death being a part of the plot,[5][6] Jess’ frequent use of the word “lord” outside of prayer,[7] and concerns that the book promotes secular humanism and New Age religions, occultism, Satanism,[8][7] and for accusations of sexual content.[9]”
I read that this book is banned so much because of the ‘magic’ and ‘evil spells’ inside the book. How sad that some people are so short sighted.
Hang about – Bridge To Terabithia? I’m sure I saw a film about that book released at our local cinema not so long ago, it seemed to have a lot of people going in to watch it. How did a book that got banned for ‘Evil Spells’ and ‘death of a main character’ etc. end up as a popular film?
Religious fear has caused some of the best books for kids to be denied them. Ironically, anyone ignorant and weak minded enough to be afraid of Bridge to Terabithia and Harry Potter is in hopeless need of the lessons these books teach.
I was actually banned from a writer’s online community for pointing out that Wiccans, Pagans, and other non-Christians don’t go around wondering how dangerous books with Christian themes are. When I refused to back down it was—literally—a witch hunt that had no other possible ending without a few bigots admitting they needed to rethink their intolerance and its source.
What horrible things may happen if little fantacettes accidentally read something that causes them to ask questions?
And how lame, useless, and weak is your faith if a book can convert your child to satanism or cat-sacrificing voodoo?
Seems to me that says more about the failure of the parent than any magic powers in a book.
I loved this book when I first read it at the age of 10 or so. It was just stunning to me and even now I sort of get chills thinking about it.