For over sixty years, author Katherine Paterson has released children's books on difficult themes like death, abandonment, war, and grief. She has won two National Book Awards, two Newbery Medals, the Hans Christian Anderson Award, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and adapted into film. Her books are often considered controversial, and some have even been banned from the booklist due to their challenging themes. Paterson’s devotion to these hard-to-approach topics is due to a belief that realism in children’s books is important and is inspired in part by her childhood where she felt isolated and like an outsider due partially to her early childhood spent in China as the child of missionaries who later moved to the US and had to learn English after years of speaking only Chinese. Today, we take a closer look at some of Paterson’s most beloved books featuring characters that overcome personal tragedy and experience great and necessary growth.
Jacob Have I Loved
Jacob Have I Loved, published in 1980, won the Newbery Medal the subsequent year, Paterson’s second book to earn this distinction. The book follows Sara Louise, who is always second to her twin sister Caroline, who is a beautiful and talented singer. Throughout the novel, many instances occur in which Caroline is shown privilege over Sara Louise, receiving praise for actions that were her idea and prestigious scholarships and financial generosity from others. In contrast, Sara Louise leaves high school to help support her family, who are struggling due to the financial burden of Caroline’s schooling. Even her best friend ends up marrying Caroline. Eventually, Sara Louise stands up for herself, demanding to know why Caroline has always received so much more than her. Her family tells her it is because Caroline was always weaker than Sara Lousie, and she expressed a desire to leave the island, which Sara Louise had never done. Eventually, she can go to school to become a nurse, marry, and have her own children, accepting the life she has earned for herself.
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Paterson’s The Great Gilly Hopkins (1988) won the National Book Award for Children’s Literature and was named a Newbery Honor Book. It tells the story of Gilly Hopkins, a mean and brash girl who has been in the foster system her entire life after being surrendered by her mother, whom she secretly longs for.
When she moves in with a new foster mother, Mrs. Trotter, Gilly resolves to find her mother no matter what. She enlists a girl from school to help her steal money from her blind neighbor but is caught and subsequently forgiven. She grows closer to her new family, though a postcard she wrote to her mother eventually makes it to her grandmother, Nonnie, who had no idea she had a granddaughter. Gilly goes to live with Nonnie and finally meets her mother, who is not what she expected and was paid by Nonnie to go through with the meeting.
Gilly realizes the actual family and happiness she had with Trotter and begs her to let her come home, but by law, she has to stay with her grandmother. She eventually accepts her living situation and loves her grandmother in this coming-of-age story. It was adapted into a movie starring Kathy Bates.
Bridge to Terebithia
The Newbery Winning Bridge to Terebithia (1987) tells the story of Jesse, a boy dissatisfied with his home life and with how nobody seems to understand him, who becomes best friends with the unusual girl who moves next door. Together, Jesse and Leslie create an imaginary world known as Terebithia at the creek beyond their house.
When Jesse accepts an invitation to travel to the museum with a teacher interested in his artistic skills, he neglects to tell Leslie, who goes to Terebithia to look for him. When he returns home, he learns Leslie hit her head while trying to cross the creek and drowned. Through his friendship with Leslie, Jesse becomes more confident and strong enough to withstand the grief of her loss, which ultimately brings him closer to his younger sister.
The book was adapted into a film starring Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb.
Park’s Quest
Park’s Quest (1988) tells the story of Park, a boy whose father died in Vietnam and whose mother won't talk much about him.
He knows he's the fifth of his name and that his father's family has many distinguished figures throughout history, but he has never met anyone from that side of the family. Park goes to the Vietnam Memorial by himself to find his father’s name on the wall.
When his mother learns of his dedication to getting to know that part of his personal history, she reaches out to his father’s family, and he goes to visit his grandfather. Things are not as he expected. His grandfather has suffered a stroke and struggles to communicate. His uncle and wife live with a young half-Vietnamese girl of unknown origin.
Eventually, he learns that the girl is his half-sister and the reason his mother divorced his father before he died. Park is forced to reckon with the new truth about his family and accept his father, and his family is different from what he had romanticized in his head.
