The young adolescent novel Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson is a wondrous and poignant tale of friendship, loyalty, and imagination. I read it several times over as a kid, and it still has a place in my heart. So it was exciting to see that there is a film version of the book coming out in February, though I'm not sure how I feel about the special effects-heavy trailer.

As cool as computer animation and special effects are these days, there is also much to enjoy in the story of the two friends, how close they become, the lessons they learn, how much they come to cherish one another. Paterson's novel is a subtle and tender work, and it's good to bring the title into everyone's awareness. I just hope the film is respectful to the work and avoids simply capitalizing on the surge of interest in recent years in children's fantasy worlds coming to life through fancy technical effects (a la Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia). Regardless, I'll probably still go see it. What do you guys think? Did you read this book as a kid?