Bridge to Terabithia centers on Jess Aarons, a 10-year-old farm kid in rural Virginia. Jess trained relentlessly all summer to outrun every other boy in his class to become “the fastest kid in the fifth grade.” Imagine his surprise when a new student shows up and beats everyone handily on day one. And this student happens to be the new neighbor girl, Leslie Burke.

Leslie is kind of different and obviously out of place. But despite their rocky beginning, Jess and Leslie strike up a fast friendship. Leslie is smart and interesting and “worldly” in the sense that she is from the city and has experiences and ideas beyond the small farming community to which her family has recently relocated. Through Jess’ friendship with Leslie, he begins to tap into a different side of himself that is artistic and imaginative, qualities that aren’t much tolerated in his own family.

The “Terabithia” from the book’s title refers to a secluded place in the woods where Jess and Leslie go to imagine themselves king and queen of a magical kingdom. It is their secret place to escape their childhood responsibilities and disappointments. Once they spot the crab apple tree, grab hold of the rope tethered to it, and then swing across the creek bed, they’ve entered their refuge and “the special world of their own.”

The book’s final act is a tragedy: after an unusually rainy spring, the creek bed separating Terabithia from real life is surging with high water, and Leslie drowns one morning when the rope that she swings from unexpectedly snaps. Jess experiences the full gamut of emotions in response to her death, ranging from denial to anger, from self-blame, and finally to acceptance. The book ends with Jess introducing his younger sister to Terabithia, as he resolves to pass on the wonder and beauty of that magical place in memory of Leslie.