Bridge to Terabithia

The 40th anniversary edition of the classic Newbery Medal-winning title by beloved author Katherine Paterson, with brand-new bonus materials including an author’s note by Katherine herself and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo.

Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie’s house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief.

Bridge to Terabithia was also named an ALA Notable Children’s Book and has become a touchstone of children’s literature, as have many of Katherine Paterson’s other novels, including The Great Gilly Hopkins and Jacob Have I Loved.

This Newbery Medal-winning novel is a powerful story of friendship that has resonated with readers for generations. What happens when the one person who opens up your world is suddenly gone?

• A Secret Magical Kingdom: In the woods of rural Virginia, Jess and Leslie create Terabithia, a private world of their own where they rule as king and queen.
• A Life-Changing Friendship: For Jess, who feels like an outsider in his own family, Leslie is more than a friend—she is his other, more exciting self who shows him a world beyond his own.
• A Heartbreaking Story of Loss: When tragedy strikes their magical kingdom, Jess must navigate the devastating journey of grief and find the strength Leslie gave him.
• Courage and Healing: A powerful exploration of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit that has become a touchstone for generations of young readers.