The Paterson novel most similar to Bridge to Terabithia is Jacob Have I Loved. Set on an island on the Chesapeake Bay, it presents the relationships of twin sisters, Caroline and Louise Bradshaw, with their family and friends. The elder Bradshaws' apparent preference for Caroline over Louise mirrors Jess's mother's seeming favoritism toward her older daughters. Despite Louise's anger and resentment, Jacob Have I Loved contains a gentleness and a rich symbolic narrative reminiscent of Bridge to Terabithia.

Paterson has written four historical novels, three set in Japan and one set in China. In each of these novels, Paterson tells a good fictional story while accurately recreating a historical period or event. The Master Puppeteer shares certain features with Bridge to Terabithia; the friendship, for instance, of Kinski and Jiro resembles that of Leslie and Jess, and the difficulties in parent-child relationships can be seen in...