Characters
This is Jess Aarons’ new best friend who introduces him to Terabithia.
Who is Leslie Burke?
This is the place where Jess and Leslie create their magical kingdom.
What is the woods across the creek?
The story takes place in this U.S. state.
What is Virginia?
This is one of the main themes of Bridge to Terabithia.
What is friendship / imagination / courage / loss?
This author wrote Bridge to Terabithia.
Who is Katherine Paterson?
She’s Jess’s younger sister who often wants his attention.
Who is May Belle?
This event directly caused Jess and Leslie to write a love letter to Janice Avery pretending to be Willard Hughes.
What is Janice Avery bullying May Belle/stealing her twinkies?
This is the name of the magical land Jess and Leslie imagine.
What is Terabithia?
This is what the rope swing symbolizes in the story.
What is adventure, risk, or connection between worlds?
Bridge to Terabithia fits into this literary genre.
What is realistic fiction or coming-of-age? OR: Based-on-a-true-story.
This student is known as the school bully who picks on younger kids.
Who is Janice Avery?
This is the name of the person who PHYSICALLY wrote the love letter addressed to Janice Avery
Who is Jess Aarons?
This physical obstacle separates the real world from Terabithia.
What is a creek (or the rope swing over the creek)?
Jess and Leslie use this place to escape from their problems.
What is escaping into Terabithia to deal with their problems?
What is realistic fiction or coming-of-age?
What is the rope swing being described as dangerous or Jess having a bad feeling?
At the beginning of the novel, Jess can best be described with this trait.
What is shy/reserved/insecure?
Jess didn’t invite Leslie to the museum for this reason.
What is he was invited by Ms. Edmunds and didn’t think to ask her?
This is how the real-world setting contrasts with Terabithia.
What is reality is harsh while Terabithia is peaceful and imaginative?
Jess shows this theme through his bravery at the end of the book.
What is courage (e.g., crossing the creek or bringing May Belle)?
This is one example of foreshadowing and what it hints might happen.
What is the rope swing being dangerous, hinting that someone might get hurt?
Over the course of the novel, this is how Jess’s relationship with Leslie helps him grow as a person.
What is becoming more confident, creative, and emotionally open?
This is how the story’s climax (Leslie’s death) impacts the ending and Jess’s personal growth.
What is Jess learning to grieve, mature, and pass on the magic of Terabithia to May Belle?
Using descriptions from the book, this is what a map of Terabithia might include.
What are key features like the castle, forest, and guarded borders imagined by Jess and Leslie?
Terabithia isn’t just a place—it also stands for these important feelings and ideas for the characters.
What are friendship, emotional refuge, and self-discovery?
This is why the author uses foreshadowing in the story.
What is to build suspense and prepare the reader for the tragedy so it doesn’t feel sudden?