THE BELOVED NOVEL COMES TO LIFE FEBRUARY 16

n Bridge to Terabithia, rural life for eleven Iyear-old Jess Aarons is permanently altered by his (at first) reluctant friendship with the new girl at Lark Creek Elementary School, a person unlike anyone Jess has ever met before. When Leslie announces to Jess one day, “We need a place, just for us … a whole secret country, and you and I would be the rulers of it,” together they create the fantastic kingdom of Terabithia. In Terabithia, Jess and Leslie magically reign as King and Queen over giants, trolls, and all manner of mythical creatures. In Terabithia, imagination and friendship spread their wings, enveloping Jess and Leslie in extraordinary adventures. And through Terabithia, Jess will learn that even tragedy can be transformed through insight and understanding— powers of the moral imagination. Bridge to Terabithia will be released nationwide on February 16, 2007.

Publishers

Read the book from Publishers HOW TO USE THIS POSTER Bridge to Terabithia The activities on this poster are by Katherine Paterson Paperback (digest) ISBN: 0061227285 appropriate for students in grades Paperback (rack) ISBN: 0061253707 Audiobook ISBN: 0061227544 5-8. Activities correlate with Bridge to Terabithia: national standards in English/ The Official Movie Companion Language Arts, Character by David Paterson ISBN: 0061215317 Education and the Visual Arts.

THE BELOVED NOVEL COMES TO LIFE FEBRUARY 16

A Letter from Walden Media

mong readers, the affection and respect Walden Media’s deep respect for Katherine A afforded Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson’s writing thus informs our film, as well Paterson’s triumphant novel about the power of as our educational program and materials. For imagination, is legendary. When the book was guidance and inspiration, we have turned to first published in 1977, it offered readers what Paterson’s own account, which she has generously had not before appeared in children’s literature: shared with us, of the way she created Bridge to the simple story of a friendship between a boy Terabithia. She reveals the ways that her creative and a girl, a friendship so unusual, so engaging, and literary imagination informed her writing of and so timeless that Bridge to Terabithia now this beloved story. We are thus pleased to offer holds a permanent, revered place in the canon Katherine Paterson’s example as a model – to of American Literature for young people. In ourselves, to you, and to your students – for our conversations with educators about this property collective, creative, and literary growth. over the past several years, the mandate to Walden Media couldn’t be clearer: the loftiness Sincerely, of Bridge to Terabithia’s flights of fancy demands Cary Granat and Micheal Flaherty a faithful film of weight and depth. Co-founders, Walden Media

MEET ON KATHERINE PATERS

atherine Pater son was born to American missionary parents in K China’s Jian gsu province in1932. Her family lived there until they were forced to e vacuate to the US during the Japanese invasion of World War II. Due to her parents’ work, Paterson moved frequently throughout her childh ood and often felt ostracized by her classmates. She found refu ge in books and is still an avid reader. Paterson majored in English at King College, Bristol, Tennessee, received her M.A. from the Pre sbyterian School of Christian Education and her M.R.E. from New Y ork’s Union Theological Seminary. Paterson also taught in rural V irginia, Japan, and New Jersey. She married and raised a family of fo ur children. Currently, she maintains her passion for read ing and writing at her home in Barre, Vermont. Katherine Paterson began to write seriously in 1964, but didn’t publish her first novel until 19 B 73. ridge to Terabithia was born of Paterson’s deep n eed to make sense of inexplicable tragedy when you her ng son David’s best friend, a girl named Lisa Hi ll, was killed when she was struck by lightning. Paters on spent a year writing Bridge to Terabithia, wh ich was published in 1977. The novel received t Newbery he Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature in 1978. Paterson received her second Newbery M edal in 1981 for her novel Jacob Have I Loved. K atherine Paterson’s distinguished writing career has also garnered her the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memor ial Award, given “for life-long work or artistry” in the field of children’s literature. To learn mor e about this award see: www.alma.se/page.php

Check out www.walden.com for additional activities. Learn more about the movie at disney.com/Terabithia © Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved. e all know people who seem bigger than life. WFor Katherine Paterson it was Pansy, the seventh grade bully at her school. Explore the character Janice Avery and discover why she seems bigger than life to Jess and Leslie.

KATHERINE PATERSON: ON HER OWN WORDS How the Character Janice Avery Came to Be One of the criticisms [my e ditor] made [of the Bridge to Terabithia manuscript] was could that in the course of the story she see Jess changing and growing, but she couldn’t see mu ch change in Leslie. She said if it’s a true friendship, both friends will change. So her idea was that I need ed to find something that would show Leslie had chang Jess. She may have throw ed by knowing “Leslie liked to make up n out a few ideas to me, and I said, “No, no, no, no, no.” Sudd stories about the giants enly, from the ancient dust of the playground at Calvin H . Wiley School, I remembered Pansy, the seventh grade bully – this huge girl – who would march around that threatened the peace the playground and beat everyone up. I would get reve her in my book. Of course, I nge and put didn’t. I couldn’t just take somebody out of life and put h of Terabithia, but they both what m er in the book because I didn’t know ade Pansy such a bully. So I created Janice Avery. She would become the character who could help Leslie chan knew that the real giant in Now I have to know why Janice Avery is a ge. bully because she is in my book. And so I start examin their lives was Janice Avery.” ing Janice Avery.... –Bridge to Terabithia, p. 61 ACTIVITY

BEFORE READING Make a prediction about why you think Katherine Paterson describes the character Janice Avery as “the real giant in [J ess and Leslie’s] lives,” and how she might “threaten their peace.” ______Make a predicti on about how you think Leslie and Jess will deal with Janice Avery. ______DURING READING Now read Chapter 5, “Th e Giant Killers,” to find out how Leslie and Jess dealt with Janice. Summarize how they handled the situation. ______AFTER READING How did your predictio n compare with what happens in the story? Do you agree or disa with the wa gree y Leslie and Jess handled their problem with Janice Avery? Why? ______Who — or what — are the “giants” in your life? What makes them so? ______

National Standards: English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA Standard 2: Reading for Understanding Learn more about the movie at disney.com/Terabithia Duration: Two 45-minute class periods. Materials: Classroom set of reproductions of Activity 1; paper and Check out www.walden.com for additional activities. pencils, individual copies of Bridge to Terabithia for student use. © Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved. COMPLETE THIS ACTIVITY AND ENTER TO WIN A PREVIEW SCREENING OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES’ AND WALDEN MEDIA’S FORTHCOMING FILM

THE BELOVED NOVEL COMES TO LIFE FEBRUARY 16 AND A VISIT FROM NEWBERY-AWARD WINNER KATHERINE PATERSON FOR YOUR CLASS OR GROUP

KATHERINE PATERSON: ACTIVITY ON HER OWN WORDS Where the Name ‘Terabithia’ WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL PLACE? Came From Is it real or imaginary? At times I … find myself drawing on my re it, experiences when I am not even conscious Think about it, pictu of it. I thought I made up the word “Terabithia.” and write about it! I was looking for some polysyllabic, rather romantic sounding word that gave the same feel the name of a country might. After the “Leslie named their secret land red to me, I played IT! word “Terabithia” occur 1 PICTURE ‘Terabithia,’ and she loaned Jess all around with the spelling. I know at one point it was spelled “Terebithia.” I chose the “a” Be like Jess and exercise your artistic of her books about Narnia, so he spelling because I was trying to make it as imagination. would know how things went in a ounce as I could. Well, at about easy to pron magic kingdom – how the animals the time I was to check the final galleys for Draw a picture of your special place. Or read The Voyage the book, I happened to re take a photograph, make a collage, draw and trees must be protected and of the Dawn Treader in C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles how a ruler must behave.” of Narnia.” As you might know, there is an a map, or sketch some of the creatures to island in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader be found there. Work by yourself or as a – Bridge to Terabithia, p. 50-51 n-t-h-i-a. named “Terebinthia.” T-e-r-e-b-i- special place I was appalled. I had pinched the word right group to show what your out of Narnia. At first I thought I would looks like – to picture it in detail – so that one have to change it. I didn’t want every others can “see” it too. complaining that I was hanging on to Lewis’ coattails. But the thought of finding a word of exactly that length and going through the galleys and making all those corrections 2 DESCRIBE IT! 3 SEND IT IN! spurred me to seek another solution. And my Educators – after reading kindly brain supplied the needed justification. Take a cue from Leslie and use words eslie Burke had read the Narnia books too. the contest rules, go to L o describe your special place. She would very probably come up with a t WALDEN.COM to name for her kingdom that closely resembled What makes this place special to you? Chronicles of upload your group’s something she had seen in The nd in it? Narnia and thought she had made it up out What kind of things can be fou entries. of the blue. Besides, Lewis obviously got the What does it look like? What is your role ebinth tree in name for his island from the ter this place? Your friend’s role? Are there the Old Testament. It wasn’t really original in 4 WIN IT! important with Lewis, either. favorite books of yours that are One winner will receive to this place, the way C.S. Lewis’ books a preview screening of How Writing Bridge to Terabithia were important to Leslie Burke? Are there Paterson Walt Disney Pictures’ Helped Katherine ou can do here you can’t do I hope you will find, as I have, how writing things y and Walden Media’s can nourish and heal and enrich life. I know anywhere else? Write about your place Bridge to Terabithia for able that in writing Bridge to Terabithia, I was in 500 words or less. their class or group and to examine, at a deep level, a painful and frightening experience and emerge on the a visit from author other side with a new sense of hope and joy. Katherine Paterson.

National Standards: English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA Standard 1: Reading for Perspective Learn more about the movie at disney.com/Terabithia National Standards for Arts Education/Visual Arts Standard 2: Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions Duration: One 45-minute class period Check out www.walden.com for additional activities. Materials: Classroom set of reproductions of Activity 2; drawing materials (pens, markers, watercolors, etc.) © Walden Media, LLC. All rights reserved. OFFICIAL RULES MY Terabithia Contest NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

prevent or impair the administration, Submitter is contacted, the Submitter will be The MY Terabithia Contest (“Contest”) is security, fairness or proper play of this asked to notify the selected winning student(s) sponsored by Walden Media, LLC, 294 Contest, so that it cannot be conducted as (and the student’s parent or legal guardian) of Washington Street, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02108 originally planned, the Sponsor has the right to his or her selection as a winner. Sponsor will (“Sponsor”). Contest begins on December 15, cancel, terminate, or suspend the Contest, and coordinate prize with Submitter. All winners 2006, and ends on February 1, 2007. in such event to select a winner from among all (and their parents or legal guardians) and eligible Entries received up to such time of 1. Eligibility. Contest is open to legal residents bmitters will be required to sign an Affidavit Su ation, termination, or suspension. 50 United States and the District of y and Publicity/Liability Release. If a cancell of the of Eligibilit es no responsibility for any error, are, at the time of entry, full-time (and his/her parent or legal Sponsor assum OTHER BOOKS BY Columbia who selected winner , deletion, defect, delay in through 8. All Contest fail to return a signed omission, interruption students in grades 4 guardian) and Submitter mmunications line nt of their parent blicity/Liability operation or transmission, co entrants must have the conse Affidavit of Eligibility and Pu authorized KATHERINE officers, ication failure, theft or destruction or un or legal guardian. Employees, Release within ten (10) days of the Notif is ly access to, or alteration of, Entries. Sponsor directors, members (and their immediate fami Date, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate responsible for any problems or technical PATERSON bers or those with whom they are may be selected. not mem winner s of any telephone network or f Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries, malfunction domiciled) o al of one Grand Prize will be omputer on-line systems, iates and their respective 5. Prizes. A tot telephone lines, c divisions, and affil Prize will include a mputer equipment, Jacob Have eligible. Contest is awarded. The Grand servers, or providers, co agencies and agents are in p of the motion Entry to be ted States screening for your class or grou software, failure of any e-mail or I Loved void outside of the 50 Uni ”), and nical here picture Bridge to Terabithia (the “Film received by the Sponsor due to tech hc 0690040784 and the District of Columbia and w r a school visit from Katherine Paterson o problems, human error or traffic congestion on pb 0064403688 prohibited by law. . an alternate representative of the Film the Internet or at any web site, or any combination pb rack 0064470598 . To is 2. How to Enter. No Purchase Necessary Approximate retail value of the Grand Prize thereof, including any injury or damage to y by nt enter, complete the MY Terabithia Activit $2,500. No substitution, transfer or assignme participant’s or any other person’s computer your ’s (1) creating an artistic representation of of the prize is allowed, except at Sponsor relating to or resulting from participating in this (2) le real or imagined special place and discretion, in which case a prize of comparab Contest or downloading any materials in this s or e describing that place in 500 written word retail value will be awarded. All prizes will b Contest. SPONSOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR it of e less (collectively the “Entry”). There is a lim awarded within sixty (60) days of th INCOMPATIBILITY OF ENTRANT’S HARDWARE, oup, one Entry per eligible student or student gr Notification Date. SOFTWARE OR BROWSER TECHNOLOGY ps of students may team up to submit OR’S HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and grou s. Contest is subject to these WITH SPONS ll Entries must be the original 6. Condition NOLOGY. ANY ATTEMPT Preacher’s a joint Entry. A Rules. By participating, OR BROWSER TECH , created solely for the complete Official ERATELY DAMAGE work of the entrant(s) ree (a) to be bound BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIB Boy st, and must not entrants and Submitters ag INE THE purpose of entering the Conte decisions of THE WEB SITE OR UNDERM including by these Official Rules and the IN pb 0064472337 violate the rights of any third parties, l and OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE an Sponsor and judges, which shall be fina copyright and trademark rights. Designate IOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, binding, and (b) to waive any right to claim V adult (such as a teacher or parent or guardian) IN SUCH EVENT, SPONSOR RESERVES guity in the Contest or these Official Rules. AND, bmitter”) who will submit the Entry to ambi TO PURSUE ITS REMEDIES (the “Su hat are determined by Sponsor, in THE RIGHT www.walden.com (the “Web Any Entries t CLUDING COSTS AND the web site, be offensive or defamatory AND DAMAGES (IN the instructions and its sole discretion, to ULLEST EXTENT Site”), according to ddition, Sponsor ATTORNEY’S FEES) TO THE F eb Site, which may be disqualified. In a sible for procedures described on the W entrant or OF THE LAW. Sponsor is not respon mission reserves the right to disqualify any te, will include scanning the Entry for sub ring late, lost, stolen, damaged, incomple ll Submitter that Sponsor believes is tampe purposes. The Submitter must supply a delivered, mutilated, illegible, or misdirected ith the entry process or the operation of the un mation as required when submitting the w for typographical errors in an entry, infor or violating these Official Rules. All entries; or ired information shall include the Contest, les or any other materials Entry. Requ d local laws apply. Applicable these Official Ru The Great he name, e-mail address, federal, state an t. Entries are void and Entry as well as t axes are responsibility associated with the Contes one number of the federal, state, and local t whole or in Gilly Hopkins mailing address, and teleph cipants assign will be disqualified if they are, in e and last of winners. By entering, all parti o not Submitter, and the entrant’s first nam le and part, illegible, incomplete, damaged, or d hc 0690038372 PM and transfer to Sponsor all rights, tit initial. All Entries must be received by 11:59 omply with these Official Rules. By entering, pb 0064402010 interest in their entries. All Entries become the c EST on February 1, 2007. ach entrant releases Sponsor and its property of Sponsor and will not be returned. e e ubsidiaries, affiliates, divisions, advertising, 3. Judging Criteria. Eligible Entries will b Each entrant grants to Sponsor the right to s d roduction and promotion agencies from any judged on the basis of originality (50%) an copy, edit, publish, promote, broadcast, and p g nd all liability for any loss, harm, damages, writing skill (50%). Applying the judgin otherwise use, in whole or in part, their Entries, a s osts or expenses, including without limitation criteria, Sponsor will review all eligible Entrie copyrighted or copyrightable materials, in any c ty damages, personal injury and/or death, eived to select the winner(s). All decisions of er, and in all forms and media now proper rec mann participating in this Contest, the with respect to the selection of the eafter developed, without further arising out of the judges known or her n, use or misuse of any final and binding. Odds of or compensation. Each acceptance, possessio winners shall be permission, notice, publicity rights, on the nature, quality or legal guardian) prize, claims based on winning a prize depend entrant (and his/her parent erchandise ceived. is/her name defamation or invasion of privacy, m The Same and number of eligible Entries re grants Sponsor permission to use h tual thout delivery or the violation of any intellec Stuff about and likeness for publicity purposes wi 4. Notification of Winners. On or roperty rights. urther compensation (except where prohibited p as Stars February 7, 2007, Submitters who submitted an f law). In the event computer viruses, List. For names of grand prize try that was selected as a winner will be by 7. Winners pb 0060557125 En ed human intervention or other bruary 16, 2007), y mail or telephone (“Notification unauthoriz winners (available after Fe notified b the Sponsor’s reasonable e to: will use reasonable efforts to causes beyond send a self-addressed, stamped envelop Date”). Sponsor ot limited to Acts of t Sponsor is under no control, including but n r’s List, MY Terabithia Contest, c/o contact Submitters, bu y governmental Winne orts at contacting God, acts or regulations of an 294 Washington Street, 7th obligation to make repeated eff national Walden Media, LLC, annot be or supra-national authority, war, sts must be an Submitter. If a Submitter c s, Floor, Boston, MA 02108. Reque an emergency, accident, fire, riot, strikes, lock-out contacted, the prize will be forfeited and received by December 31, 2007. ndustrial disputes or acts of terrorism, corrupt, alternate winner will be selected. When a i For more lists of recommended reading, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists. ENTER FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A TRIP TO THE PREMIERE OF BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA! Only registered Walden.com members are eligible for this sweepstakes. For details, become a Walden.com member, and register for a chance at this once-in-a-lifetime experience go to www.walden.com/terabithiapremiere/poster. For Official Rules, please visit www.walden.com/terabithiapremiere/rules. No purchase necessary.

This poster was developed and produced by: Walden Media, LLC., 294 Washington Street/7th floor, Boston, MA 02108 www.walden.com We are grateful to Katherine Paterson for sharing her thoughts on the creation of Bridge to Terabithia. The activities in this guide were developed by Walden Media, LLC., and may be reproduced for educational purposes only. Katherine Paterson photo © Samantha Loomis Paterson, used by permission of Katherine Paterson. Excerpts from The Gates of Excellence: On Reading and Writing Books for Children by Katherine Paterson, © 1981 by Katherine Paterson, reprinted by permission of the author. The Chronicles of Narnia®, Narnia® and all book titles, characters and locales original to The Chronicles of Narnia are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Use without permission is strictly prohibited. Bridge to Terabithia cover art © 2003 by Chris Sheban. Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and The Same Stuff as Stars cover art © 2004 by Chris Sheban. Preacher’s Boy cover art © 2001 by Nenad Jakesevic. All book cover art used by permission of HarperCollins Children’s Books. Text, photos and design © 2006 Walden Media, LLC. Walden Media and its logo are registered trademarks of Walden Media, LLC. All other trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.