Bridge to Terabithia — A Letter from Walden Media

Among readers, the affection and respect afforded Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson's triumphant novel about the power of imagination, is legendary. When the book was first published in 1977, it offered readers something new in children's literature -- the simple story of a friendship between a boy and a girl. It was a friendship so unusual, so engaging and so timeless that Bridge to Terabithia now holds a permanent, revered place in the canon of American Literature for young people.

We speak with educators about our work on an almost daily basis. When we talked to them about Bridge to Terabithia, the mandate -- and the challenge -- to Walden Media became very clear. Both the emotional power of the story and the loftiness of its flights of fancy demanded a faithful film of weight and depth.

So Walden Media's deep respect for Katherine Paterson's writing fully informs our film, as well as our educational program and materials.

For guidance and inspiration, we turned to Paterson's own account, which she has generously shared with us, of the creation of Bridge to Terabithia. We are pleased to offer Katherine Paterson's example as a model -- to ourselves, to you and to your students -- for our collective creative and literary growth.

Sincerely,

Cary Granat and Micheal Flaherty
Co-founders, Walden Media

Bookmark In: