Patterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia.

1. Who are the mothers in this book? Why does Jess"love" his teacher? (lgm)

2. Did you ever have a childhood friend of theopposite gender? How do the different characters justify if it is ok for Jess and Leslie to play together? (lgm)

3. How are the different characters gendered or not gendered? (lgm)

4. Why does Jess throw away his paints? (lgm)

5. How is recovery from traumatic events handled differently than in Charlotte’s Web or Watson’s? (lgm)

6. Trace the stages of grief that Jess experiences after Leslie's death. (ksc)

7. Paterson uses a lot of vivid similes in her writing. Locate several similes and discuss how and what they contribute to our understanding of the story. (ksc)

8. Questions of power really seem to be at the heart of all the relationships in this text, much as they are at the heart of most relationships children have in real life.  If I were to teach this novel, I would frame the conversation in class by discussing why power issues and issues of empowerment are so central to children’s literature.  I would ask my students to examine the changing role of power within the following relationships:

Jess vs. Mom; Jess vs. Dad; Jess vs. Leslie; Jess vs. May Belle; Jess vs. Wayne Petice; Jess vs. Mrs. Myers; Jess vs. Bill; Jess vs. Miss Edmunds; author vs. characters; author vs. reader; reader vs. characters; Jess and Leslie vs. Janice Avery; Jess vs. other siblings; Leslie vs. Jess; Leslie vs. Bill; Leslie vs. Jess’ Mom; Leslie vs. May Belle; Leslie vs. classmates; Leslie vs. Mrs. Myers; Leslie vs. Miss Edwards.

I would want my students to explore how the fluctuating power dynamics within these relationships frame and propel this novel.  I would also want them to think about how examining these relationships helps a reader to see both the strengths and weaknesses of the novel itself. (sml)