Taking Good Advice

by Chris

TIP OF THE DAY: read, read, read your genre!

In 1980, when I was graduating from 5th grade, the school librarian signed my yearbook. I don't remember her name (I was only at that school for that one year) and I have no idea where that yearbook is ... but I remember what she wrote: "Summer Reading: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson". This was shortly after the book won the 1978 Newbery Award for the most distinguished American children's book (kind of like the Oscar of children's writing).

Even then, I loved to read and I loved to write, but I looked at the title that the librarian had written in swirly perfect cursive and thought, 'that book sounds weird' and proceeded to ignore her advice...

Fast forward to today, to a crazy world moving at a breakneck pace, where I spend a good part of my time writing books for children -- and Bridge to Terabithia -- the movie! -- is opening next Friday in theaters everywhere.

This fact, of course, makes me desperate to read the book. The movie is NEVER as good as the book, after all, and my nine year old is already begging me to take her. Besides, why can't I shake the memory of that librarian's autograph (I can still SEE it on the page!)? So -- 27 years later, I finally take her advice and check it out of my local branch.

Now I know why she was so eager to plug the book; it's wonderful. I'm about half way through, but I am fully invested in the main characters -- a young, misunderstood boy and his new neighbor, a girl. I already love them, I already fear for the inevitable obstacle that will cause them some sort of pain, I am already wishing them victory. I already know that at the end of this book I will cry.

My writer's mind begins to think... How did Paterson do it? How did she and writers like her paint believable portraits of children when they themselves are far removed from childhood? I guess that's the key. Maybe we are not as removed from childhood as we think.

In quality children's books, no matter which era they were produced, we see familiar emotions, fears, disappointments, triumphs and memories. We are reminded of the vital ingredients of a well-lived life: family, friends, faith, and a constantly blossoming sense of our role in the world. Even as adults we struggle for these things.

Do I think that if I had read this book as suggested long ago that I would have passed through puberty and young adulthood unscathed? No. I read what I was interested in at the time, I adored mysteries and biographies and books set in the past -- and I found plenty of characters to relate to in those. I just wasn't into contemporary novels with weird titles, and so I never visited Terabithia.

Am I glad I am reading the book now? Oh Yes. Not only is it a tool for learning about effective character development (chapter six is priceless), but it is making me really happy. When I read, I vividly remember what it felt like to be 10 and I know that Jess and Leslie are still more than happy to let me swing into their magical world.

Aren't books wonderful that way?

What a relief to know that in this moving at the speed of light world, some things are still timeless, like the good advice of a kind librarian, or the simple power of the well-written word.