# Someone spoil The Bridge to Terabithia for me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574 "2007-02-17T00:42:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/1 "2007-02-17T00:42:46Z")
That’s all. Just let me know if Leslie is still alive at the end of the movie, or if she dies,like in the book. Please. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/2 "2007-02-17T05:21:03Z")
She dies…same as the book. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/3 "2007-02-17T05:29:41Z")
Hooray! I really hated that book, and I think if I went to the movie I would be cheering for her death. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/4 "2007-02-17T05:31:22Z")
[bored voice]“He dies, she dies…_everybody_ dies.”[/bored] Sounds reasonable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/5 "2007-02-17T05:55:19Z")
Your spoiler-tag stuff shows on mouseover :eek: ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/6 "2007-02-17T06:32:55Z")
Okay then, Michaela can go see it this Monday. Sorry about the mouse-over thing. Shoulda told me when there was still time to edit it. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/7 "2007-02-17T11:31:50Z")
What about the movie itself? Good? Meh? Suckage? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/8 "2007-02-17T13:16:06Z")
When was the book popular? I’ve never heard of it, and both I and my kids are voracious readers. Can’t figure out how it slipped under our radar. Though there was some other wildly popular book that was made into a movie recently that we had the same problem with…never heard of it, either, and everyone acted like it was required reading in school. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/9 "2007-02-17T13:18:25Z")
I haven’t read the book, or seen the movie, but I know the spoiling in question- I will say that the author is on record as approving of the movie. Her son wrote & marketed the screenplay & looked over the shoulder of the movie-makers, and he’s also happy with the movie. However, they both disapprove of how it’s been advertised. There’s gonna be a lot of shell-shocked little kids out there. Maybe the parents should take them to that sweet Dakota Fanning’s next movie instead! :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/10 "2007-02-17T14:07:01Z")
[QUOTE=kittenblue] When was the book popular? [/QUOTE] It was published in 1977, and won the '78 Newbery Award. It’s used in classrooms all over the country, but since the '90s at least has been on just about every banned book list there is. As I mentioned in another thread, it’s got it’s fair share of controversy, not the least of which is the thing mentioned in the OP. One of the main character’s parents are atheists, and the other one uses the name of the Lord in vain a LOT. It’s been attacked as promoting New Age religion and Satanism. And a kid has a crush on a teacher. :rolleyes: So it might not have been on your kids’ reading lists, or even in their libraries, but it is a great book. It’s generally read around grade 6, but I would read it along with them, as it can be a hard book emotionally for many kids, and they might need your help processing their feelings around it. That thing in the OP doesn’t happen to some background character we hardly know like in _Goblet of Fire_, but to a main character we love a lot. (Well, except for **panamajack** , I guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/11 "2007-02-17T15:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] So it might not have been on your kids’ reading lists, or even in their libraries, but it is a great book. It’s generally read around grade 6, but I would read it along with them, as it can be a hard book emotionally for many kids, and they might need your help processing their feelings around it. [/QUOTE] I can remember our Fifth Grade teacher reading it aloud to the class and just _sobbing_ when . . . well, you know. She could barely get the words out, and the whole class was riveted by it (both her and the book). I remember it really well because the _next_ book she read us was _Where the Red Fern Grows_, and the same thing happend and I thought “Geez, doesn’t she know any happy books?” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/12 "2007-02-17T16:05:28Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] I can remember our Fifth Grade teacher reading it aloud to the class and just _sobbing_ when . . . well, you know. She could barely get the words out, and the whole class was riveted by it (both her and the book). I remember it really well because the _next_ book she read us was _Where the Red Fern Grows_, and the same thing happend and I thought “Geez, doesn’t she know any happy books?” [/QUOTE] After my kid’s teacher followed up _Where the Red Fern Grows_ with _Sounder_ :smack: , I got him [this book](http://www.amazon.com/More-Dead-Dogs-Gordon-Korman/dp/0786816015/sr=8-1/qid=1171728101/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3726372-0803316?ie=UTF8&s=books) to read prominently and pointedly during Independent Reading. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/13 "2007-02-17T16:33:09Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] It was published in 1977, and won the '78 Newbery Award. It’s used in classrooms all over the country, but since the '90s at least has been on just about every banned book list there is. As I mentioned in another thread, it’s got it’s fair share of controversy, not the least of which is the thing mentioned in the OP. One of the main character’s parents are atheists, and the other one uses the name of the Lord in vain a LOT. It’s been attacked as promoting New Age religion and Satanism. And a kid has a crush on a teacher. :rolleyes: So it might not have been on your kids’ reading lists, or even in their libraries, but it is a great book. It’s generally read around grade 6, but I would read it along with them, as it can be a hard book emotionally for many kids, and they might need your help processing their feelings around it. That thing in the OP doesn’t happen to some background character we hardly know like in _Goblet of Fire_, but to a main character we love a lot. (Well, except for **panamajack** , I guess.) [/QUOTE] The FUNNY thing is- the author Katherine Paterson is a pastor’s wife, had considered being a missionary, and regards the book as being quite Christian. Interview with her on the book & the movie here- > **[Deeper into Terabithia - Christianity Today](https://www.christianitytoday.com/2007/02/deeper-into-terabithia/)** > > Bridge to Terabithia author Katherine Paterson says a story reveals a writer's faith, whether she likes it or not. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/14 "2007-02-17T16:39:20Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] The FUNNY thing is- the author Katherine Paterson is a pastor’s wife, had considered being a missionary, and regards the book as being quite Christian. Interview with her on the book & the movie here- > **[Deeper into Terabithia - Christianity Today](https://www.christianitytoday.com/2007/02/deeper-into-terabithia/)** > > Bridge to Terabithia author Katherine Paterson says a story reveals a writer's faith, whether she likes it or not. [/QUOTE] Thanks for linking, **FriarTed**! That was a great article I would not have otherwise been aware of. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/15 "2007-02-17T17:35:41Z")
From the link in **FriarTed** ’s post: > [@](#): > > **There’s a trend lately to provide books and films for Christian audiences that are “safe for the whole family.” Perhaps your books have been challenged because they’re not necessarily “safe” for children.** > > Well, don’t give them the Bible, because it’s certainly not a safe book. Safety and faith are different things. If you want everything to be safe, then you can do without imagination. If you’re so afraid of your imagination that you stifle it, how are you going to know God? How can you imagine heaven? I think that is an amazing statement to come out of that interview. That is all. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/16 "2007-02-18T03:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] After my kid’s teacher followed up _Where the Red Fern Grows_ with _Sounder_ :smack: , I got him [this book](http://www.amazon.com/More-Dead-Dogs-Gordon-Korman/dp/0786816015/sr=8-1/qid=1171728101/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3726372-0803316?ie=UTF8&s=books) to read prominently and pointedly during Independent Reading. [/QUOTE] This just cracked me up when I clicked on your link. My husband is currently looking at me like I’m nuts. 😃😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/17 "2007-02-18T04:27:26Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] What about the movie itself? Good? Meh? Suckage? [/QUOTE] Surprisingly, it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great, either, and I could have done without all of the special effects (the ones they’re using to sell the movie in the ads), but it didn’t stray too far from the book as I assumed it would (based, again, on the movie ads). ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/18 "2007-02-18T05:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=kittenblue] When was the book popular? I’ve never heard of it, and both I and my kids are voracious readers. Can’t figure out how it slipped under our radar. Though there was some other wildly popular book that was made into a movie recently that we had the same problem with…never heard of it, either, and everyone acted like it was required reading in school. [/QUOTE] Would that be **Holes**? Because I’m feeling just as out of the loop with Terebithia as I did with Holes. I’d never heard of either of them until the movies were made. As much time as my kids and I spent at the library and in bookstores in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, I thought we didn’t miss too much. It’s neat though, finding a new, good book. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/19 "2007-02-18T16:46:00Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] After my kid’s teacher followed up _Where the Red Fern Grows_ with _Sounder_ :smack: , I got him [this book](http://www.amazon.com/More-Dead-Dogs-Gordon-Korman/dp/0786816015/sr=8-1/qid=1171728101/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3726372-0803316?ie=UTF8&s=books) to read prominently and pointedly during Independent Reading. [/QUOTE] Michaela brought that book home from the school library last year, and we read it together. We liked it a LOT. 😃 Thanks for the fix, **Frank**. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574/20 "2007-02-19T15:03:35Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Thanks for linking, **FriarTed**! That was a great article I would not have otherwise been aware of. [/QUOTE] You’re quite welcome! I thought you’d enjoy it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-spoil-the-bridge-to-terabithia-for-me/392574.md?page=2)