Bridge to Terabithia

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.