Bridge to Terabithia is a 1977 children’s novel written by Katherine Paterson. Paterson is best-known for her children’s books, two of which earned Newbery Medals: Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved (1981). She was inspire to write Bridge to Terabithia after her son’s best friend was killed by lightning. It has since become a classic, beloved by readers for its exploration of themes like Finding Connection as an Outsider, The Stages of Grief and Finding Meaning Within Suffering, and The Impact of Wealth and Education. Because Bridge to Terabithia deals with grief and death, it is best suited for children ages 8 to 12.

This guide references the 2017 HarperCollins edition of the novel.

Plot Summary

Bridge to Terabithia is set in the rural Virginia town of Lark Creek in the mid-1970s. Ten-year-old protagonist Jesse “Jess” Aarons is the middle child and the only boy in his family of seven, which lives in poverty. Because they cannot live off their small farm, Jess’s father commutes to Washington, DC, for work, leaving him with no energy or time for Jess. Jess’s mother, drained from the demands of her oldest daughters, has little patience for Jess, blaming him for undone chores and his younger sister May Belle’s whining.

Jess loves drawing and the peace it gives him, but he hides his hobby because it draws ridicule. Although he longs to share his art with his father, he knows his father disapproves. A few years ago, when Jess shared his art, his father criticized it for being too girly. The only person who encourages Jess is his music teacher, Miss Edmunds. She is also an outsider who doesn’t fit in with other teachers; Jess thinks he is in love with her.

Desperate for attention and affirmation, especially from his father, Jess takes up running. All summer, he wakes up at dawn to practice running in the cow pasture. One day, his running is interrupted by his new next-door neighbor, a girl his age with a tomboyish appearance. She introduces herself as Leslie Burke and proposes that they be friends, but Jess brushes her off.

At school, Leslie is a misfit. She wears worn-out clothes and does not own a TV. Her parents, affluent writers who once lived in a wealthy suburb, moved to the country to experience a simpler life. Leslie surprises everyone on the first day of school when she beats everyone in the races. Eventually, Jess realizes how silly he was to avoid her, and the two strike up a friendship.

While exploring behind their houses, Leslie and Jess find a rope swing on a crab apple tree, which they use to swing across the dry creek bed. On the other side of the creek, they create an imaginary country that Leslie names Terabithia. In this magical kingdom, they are the king and queen. They build a castle stronghold, fight off invaders, defeat trolls and giants, and pray to the grove spirits. Terabithia becomes a special secret place where Jess and Leslie are not teased for their friendship or outsider status. Jess and Leslie become inseparable.

Time passes. At Christmas, Jess gifts Leslie a puppy, whom they crown Prince Terrien, guardian of Terabithia. Jess helps Leslie and her father renovate their dilapidated farmhouse. On Easter, Leslie goes to church with Jess for the first time. When Jess and May Belle warn Leslie that she must believe in Jesus or she will go to hell, Leslie says she cannot believe God would allow that.

As spring arrives, rain pummels the area. The once-dry creek overflows with water. Jess worries about Prince Terrien drowning and feels anxious whenever they cross into Terabithia. On the very day he resolves to tell Leslie he does not want to go to Terabithia, Miss Edmunds invites him to accompany her to the National Art Gallery in Washington, DC. Jess is captivated by the art and by spending so much time with Miss Edmunds.

When he arrives home, his family is relieved to see him. His older sister says that Leslie just died and they were afraid Jess died too. Jess’s father reveals that Leslie drowned while crossing the creek. The rope snapped underneath her, and she hit her head. Devastated by this loss, Jess feels guilty for not inviting Leslie to DC with him. Leslie was special to him; without her, he would never have experienced Terabithia or developed a new way of seeing the world.

With time, Jess processes Leslie’s loss. He emerges stronger and filled with courage to help others the way that Leslie helped him. He builds a bridge to Terabithia and invites May Belle to enter as the new queen so she can experience the same transformation that he did.