Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson

He thought later how peculiar it was that here was probably the biggest thing in his life, and he had shrugged it off as nothing.

It seemed to him that he had been thought too big for that since the day he was born.

Leslie named their secret land “Terabithia,” and she loaned Jess all of her books about Narnia, so he would know how things went in a magic kingdom—how the animals and the trees must be protected and how a ruler must behave.

Leslie was more than his friend. She was his other, more exciting self—his way to Terabithia and all the worlds beyond.

Terabithia was still just for the two of them.

Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to bits.

Cause if you don’t believe the Bible”—May Belle’s eyes were huge—“God’ll damn you to hell when you die.”

“But Leslie,” she insisted. “What if you die? What’s going to happen to you if you die?”

“Your girl friend’s dead, and Momma thought you was dead, too.”

Sometimes like the Barbie doll you need to give people something that’s for them, not just something that makes you feel good giving it.

Now it was time for him to move out. She wasn’t there, so he must go for both of them. It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength.