Jacob Have I Loved

Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson, takes place on Rass Island over a period of seven years. Rass is a small, little known island off the Chesapeake Bay, and about two-thirds of the island is covered in windy salt marsh full of cordgrass that hides tin, glass and other sharp things. Cordgrass alone can rip your skin so imagine how deadly it is with harmful stuff hidden in it. On Rass everybody makes money either by teaching or fishing for oysters, eeling or crabbing every day except Sunday.

Jacob Have I Loved is about the life of teenage girl Sara Louise Bradshaw. Louise has lived in her sister Caroline's shadow since the minute Caroline was born. After only a few minutes of attention, Caroline was born and all the attention was drawn to her from Louise. All Louise wants is to get out of Caroline's shadow and find something she is better at than Caroline.

"My sister was loved by every body but me- 

the one who should have loved her best."- back cover

Characters 

• Sara Louise Bradshaw - main character and twin sister of Caroline
• Caroline Bradshaw - antagonist and twin sister to Louise
• The Captain - Louise, Caroline and Call's friend
• Call - friend to The Captain, Louise and Caroline

I liked this book and recommend it to people who like realistic fiction. Jacob Have I Loved is by award winning author Katherine Paterson. Also written by Paterson:  

• Bridge to Teribithia, 1978 Newbery Medal winner
• The Great Gilly Hopkins, Newbery Honor Book and 1979 National Book Award winner
• The Master Puppeteer  1977 National Book Award winner

IL: MG - BL: 5.7 - AR Pts: 8.0

Bridge to Teribithia

Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson

As ten-year-old Jesse Aarons trains each morning to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade, Leslie Burke moves into the house next door in rural Virginia. The families are as different as night and day. While Jesse's dad works hard to make ends meet, Leslie's family is considered rich for the time and only moves to the area to give Leslie a calmer life. Alone, they are lonely and desperately strive to fit it. Together, they build a whole new world no one else can enter. In this process, they learn to appreciate themselves and everyone around them. Jesse even finds a new appreciation for the plethora of women living in his house. For close to eight wonderful months, the pair is nearly inseparable in a land called Terabithia.
Terabithia is a pretend kingdom Jesse and Leslie create in the forest across the river. A land free from ordinary life. In fact, a streak of horrid rainy weather becomes an evil curse from some evil being and becomes Leslie and Jess's task to free Terabithia from this awful curse. This may sound silly to the adult reader, but it is incredibly important that young readers see the value in make believe. Bill and Judy Burke believe television rots the mind. Once Leslie starts speaking of Narnia and other literary worlds, Jesse soon sees the importance of books as well. This is a lesson seldom taught in today's society and this short novel may be just the way to get the point across.

The climax is one I never expected. It is very difficult to discuss the literary merit of the storyline without spoiling the end. (continue reading at your own risk) While Jesse takes a trip to the city with the school music teacher, Leslie chooses to cross the creak to Terabithia on her own. The rope breaks and Leslie drowns. Though this might come as a shock to young readers, the situation gives children a glimpse into a life we, as parents, hope they never experience in reality. Readers are able to see Jesse transition through his grief and eventually come to terms with the incident.

Bridge to Terabithia will remain a timeless classic. Though a few simple references place the novel in 1977 when it was published, the simple storyline of bullies and coming of age will keep readers interested for years to come.




1978 Newbery Medal Winner
IL: MG - BL: 4.6 - AR Pts: 5.0