Bridge to Terabithia

A fiction book by Katherine Patterson about Jess Aarons and his friend Leslie Burke. Jess is a poor kid that lives on a farm and has been training to be his class’s fastest runner. His new neighbor Leslie Burke joins the race and beats him. At first, he is resentful, but soon Jess and Leslie become good friends. They start hanging out and create an imaginary world together called Terabithia. Their friendship revolves around a few experiences such as Jess’ crush on his teacher, a bully named Janice Avery, and a trip to church. One day Jess is invited to go to an art museum trip but forgets to tell Leslie or his parents. He soon learns that Leslie had gone to Terabithia on her own and fell into the creek and drowned. She had hit her head on a rock trying to swing on a rope to cross a creek. Jess makes a funeral wreath for Leslie and places it in their special place in Terabithia. This book is about courage, tragedy, and friendship. Teachers can use it as reading material to support common core state standards. It is a Newbery Medal winner and named an ALA Notable Children’s book.

Paterson, K. (2017). Bridge to Terabithia. Harper Collins.