Review of The Bridge to Terabithia

As a misfit teen in the brutal junior high school world after my best friend Leslie moved to Connecticut in 7th grade, I walked to school in the woods, while on the watch for bullies. Sometimes, on the way home from school, I'd sit down in the woods, and imagine I lived there, free from the problems of adolescence in the 1970's.
You can imagine my delight, then, in seeing part of what I thought was my unique experience, come to life on the screen in "The Bridge to Terabithia", released yesterday. This faithful film adaptation of the Newberry Award Winning book by Katherine Paterson of 1977 is a wonderful look into the fantasy world of two adolescent friends who have a rough time in school (no, I hadn't read it as a child, but my children will certainly read it).
What's beautiful about "The Bridge to Terabithia" is that their fantasy, instead of just acting as an escape, gives them courage to face the challenges of life, and become more compassionate. Soon life will test this newfound courage.
Take your older child(the mythical creatures are scary to little ones) to see it and enter into their world of heroism and adventure.