Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he nearly is, until the new girl at school, Leslie Burke, outruns him. The two quickly become 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 tragedy strikes. It will take the love of his family and the strength Leslie has given him for Jess to cope 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.