B RIDGE TO T ERABITHIA By: Katherine Paterson

Q AND A ABOUT THE A UTHOR When did she know she wanted to be an author? Katherine didn’t ever really know she wanted to be an author, at least not as a child. When did she begin to write? Katherine is not exactly sure of when she began to write but thinks it must have been between the ages of 4 and 5 because that is when she began reading. Very few of her childhood writing samples survived the 18 moves that Katherine experienced before she was 18 years old. (Source:

Q AND A ABOUT THE A UTHOR When did her life as a writer begin? Around the year 1964 Katherine began writing non- fiction for local school children in grades 5 and 6. It was then that she realized she always had a passion for writing, but not for non-fiction writing. Katherine wanted to write what she loved to read-fiction! Does she love what she does? Yes, absolutely! Katherine thinks of writing as the only job she has. (Source:

B RIDGE TO T ERABITHIA Winner of a Newberry Medal Award in 1978 Is reviewed as being, “Eloquent and assured.” -The Kirkus Reviews “The story is one of remarkable richness and depth, beautifully written.” –The Horn Book

O THER A WARDS ALA Notable Children’s Award School Library Journal Best Book of 1977 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award 1986 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award Janusz Korczak Medal (Poland) Silver Pencil Award (Netherlands) Le Grand Prix des Jeunes Lecturs (France)

I T IS A S ECRET W ORLD OF T HEIR O WN Jess Aarons’ greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He’s been practicing all summer and can’t wait to see his classmates’ faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys’ side of the playground and outruns everyone.

I T IS A S ECRET W ORLD OF T HEIR O WN That’s not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Leslie has imagination. Together, she and Jess create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits. Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him. (excerpt taken from the back cover)

K ATHERINE P ATERSON

O THER N OVELS