46
Selecti on Rev i ew #1
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
C h a p te r s 1-4
1. Describe Jess Aarons. What is his main goal at the beginning of this story? Jess is a quiet,
artistic ten-year-old boy. What he likes to do most is draw. He doesn’t really have a best
friend and doesn’t like school, except for music class. He is thin with blonde hair, and wears
old clothes and sneakers. He works hard around the house. Jess’s main goal at the beginning
of the story is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade when school begins in the fall. To
reach this goal, he practices running in the field near his house.
2. Describe Jess’s family, and tell how Jess relates to the different family members. Jess is
the only boy in a family with four sisters. Jess does not care much for his older sisters, Ellie
and Brenda, who never do their share of work around the house. Jess’s younger sister, May
Belle, is six years old and admires him very much. Jess has a fairly good relationship with
May Belle. The youngest child, Joyce Ann, is the baby of the family. Jess and his mother get
along all right, although Jess feels it is unfair that he has so many chores to do. Jess’s
mother also does not have a lot of time for him. Jess is not close to his father. He wishes his
father would show him more affection and approval. He wants his father to be proud of him,
but nothing he does ever seems to be good enough.
3. Tell about the setting of this story. Jess lives in Lark Creek, a small, poor rural farming community. The nearest town is Millsburg, and Washington D.C. is not too far away. The local
school is old and poor, with very little equipment. The local people have a fairly narrow outlook on life. They are usually suspicious of anyone who seems “different.” The story is set in
the mid-1970s, shortly after the end of the Vietnam War.
4. Who is Julia Edmunds and why is she important to Jess? Miss Edmunds is a young, pretty
music teacher who comes to the school on Friday. Her class is Jess’s favorite, and he has a
crush on her. She encourages him in his drawing and says he is “unusually talented.”
5. Describe Leslie Burke. How does Leslie spoil Jess’s dream of becoming the fastest runner in his class? Leslie is the “new kid” who just moved into the house next door to Jess’s.
She is ten years old like Jess, but she is different from anyone he has ever known. Most girls
at Lark Creek wear nice dresses to school, but Leslie wears jeans and old shirts. Her family
does not own a television, even though her parents are successful writers who have plenty of
money. Leslie also knows more about books and music than any young person Jess has ever
met. Leslie is a fast runner. She does not seem to understand the unwritten rules about boys
and girls in Lark Creek. She races with the boys and is faster than any of them. This spoils
Jess’s dream of being the fastest runner in his class. In fact, it ruins the boys’ races, because
they do not want to race against a girl who beats them every time.
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6. How does Jess feel about Leslie at first? How do they become friends? At first, Jess feels
sorry for Leslie, but he does not want to be friends with her. He is angry about the way she
embarrassed him at the race, and he is afraid people will make fun of him if he befriends
her. However, Jess changes his mind during music class. He realizes that it is foolish to refuse
to be friends with Leslie because of the other kids. Jess smiles at Leslie, and he defends her
when she has trouble with a seventh grade bully on the bus.
7. Explain why Leslie and her parents moved to Lark Creek. Why does this seem strange to
Jess? Leslie’s family moved to Lark Creek because they wanted to get away from the suburbs and think about what is important in life. This seems strange to Jess because his family
is just concerned with getting by. Money is always tight, and they have no time or energy to
think about deep subjects. Jess cannot understand why people who have plenty of money
and a comfortable life would leave their home to start over.
8. What is Terabithia, and why is it important to Jess and Leslie? Terabithia is a secret imaginary kingdom that Jess and Leslie create and rule over in the woods. It is important to them
because it is a place where they can use their imagination freely. They are also away from
the other kids who might tease them. Jess feels stronger, wiser, and more alive in Terabithia.
48
Selecti on Rev i ew #2
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
C h a p te r s 5-8
1. Explain why Jess and Leslie want to “get back at” Janice Avery. How do they do this? Jess
and Leslie want to “get back” at Janice because she stole May Belle’s Twinkie. They realize
that fighting Janice will not work. Instead, they write a fake love letter to Janice and sign it
with the name of Willard Hughes, a popular seventh grade boy. When Janice stays after
school to meet Willard, he does not show up. Janice realizes she has been tricked and feels
crushed and embarrassed.
2. What do Jess and Leslie give each other for Christmas? Describe Christmas at the Aarons’
house. Jess gives Leslie a puppy, and she names him Prince Terrien. Leslie gives Jess a new
painting set and a pad of paper. Jess and Leslie are thrilled with these presents. However,
Christmas at the Aarons’ house is frustrating and disappointing. Mr. Aarons is embarrassed
because the electric car set he bought Jess does not work well. Joyce Ann cries because her
doll is already broken. Brenda is jealous because Ellie got pantyhose for Christmas and she
didn’t. Mrs. Aarons is tired and cranky and complaining.
3. Why does Jess feel jealous of Leslie’s father? What happens to change this situation?
Jess feels jealous of Mr. Burke because Leslie starts spending a lot of time with him. Mr.
Burke is fixing up the house and needs Leslie’s help. She does not have time to spend with
Jess in Terabithia. However, Leslie invites Jess to help with the work on the house. Jess gets
to know Mr. Burke better. He feels good when he realizes that he knows more than Mr. Burke
about some practical things.
4. Why does Leslie follow Janice Avery into the bathroom? How has Janice Avery broken the
unwritten rules of Lark Creek School? How do Jess and Leslie’s feelings about Janice
change? Leslie follows Janice into the bathroom because she heard Janice crying. Jess says
that they have a responsibility to help Janice. Leslie learns that Janice’s father beats her.
She told her friends about this, and her friends spread it all over the seventh grade. The kids
at Lark Creek School don’t believe in bringing home troubles to school, or telling other people
about their parents’ problems. They make fun of Janice for telling on her father. Leslie and
Jess feel sorry for Janice. They also understand better why she is often so mean.
5. Why is Jess so upset that May Belle has followed him and Leslie to Terabithia? Jess is
upset that May Belle has followed him and Leslie to Terabithia because he can’t trust a sixyear-old with his most important secret. Terabithia is his only refuge from his unhappiness at
home, and he is afraid May Belle will ruin it.
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6. What is different about the Aarons’ Easter this year? What does Leslie think of her visit
to church? The Aarons’ Easter is different this year because Mr. Aarons is laid off from his
job. The family does not have much money for new Easter clothes. Also, Leslie asks to go to
church with them. Leslie enjoys her visit to church. She pays attention and says she thinks
the story of Jesus is sad and beautiful. She asks Jess why he believes the Bible is true and
says she doesn’t believe God sends people to hell.
50
Selecti on Rev i ew #3
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
C h a p te r s 9-13
1. Why does crossing into Terabithia become more dangerous during spring vacation? How
do Jess and Leslie each react to this new situation? Crossing into Terabithia becomes
more dangerous because the heavy rainfall swells the creek into a roaring sea eight feet
wide. Jess is very afraid of swinging into Terabithia on the rope. He forces himself to do it for
three days. By Thursday he decides to tell Leslie he doesn’t want to go to Terabithia any
more while the water is so high. Leslie, however, does not seem to be scared of the water.
She enjoys the challenge of swinging across the creek.
2. Describe Jess’s “one perfect day.” On Thursday morning, Miss Edmunds invites Jess to
spend the day with her visiting an art gallery and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington,
D.C. Jess enjoys spending a day alone with her and is thrilled by the things he sees in Washington. He feels a little bit sorry that he did not suggest taking Leslie to Washington too. However, he plans to tell her about every detail of his wonderful day.
3. What terrible news does Jess learn when he arrives home? Why is this ironic? How does
Jess respond to this bad news? When Jess arrives, he learns that Leslie has died. The rope
broke while she was swinging on it. She fell, hit her head, and drowned. This is bitterly ironic:
the most horrible thing that could happen occurred on the day Jess thought was his “one
perfect day.” This is so painful that Jess cannot accept it for several days. He decides his
parents are lying, and he refuses to think about what he has heard.
4. When does Jess finally realize that Leslie is dead? What emotion does he feel? How does
he express his feelings? Jess finally realizes that Leslie is dead when he visits the Burkes
with his parents to pay his respects. When he hears Bill Burke say that Leslie has been cremated, he realizes he will never see her again, and he runs out of the house. Jess feels
angry with Leslie for dying, angry with her parents for bringing her to Lark Creek to live, and
angry at himself for thinking about how her death will earn him respect at school. Jess
shows his anger by striking May Belle and by dumping the paint set Leslie gave him into the
creek. He tells his father he hates Leslie and is sorry he ever met her.
5. How does Jess’s dad help him begin to get over Leslie’s death? Jess’s dad comes after
him when he runs away in his grief and anger. He does not use many words, but he holds
Jess and strokes him to comfort him. He speaks to Jess as he would to a grown man. He
does Jess’s chores for him and lets him know that it is all right to grieve.
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6. Explain why Jess visits Terabithia after Leslie’s death. What does he do? What happens
when May Belle follows him? Jess visits Terabithia as a way of facing Leslie’s death. He has
a sort of funeral for her. He makes a funeral wreath, carries it into the sacred grove, and entrusts Leslie’s spirit to God. When May Belle follows Jess, she is too frightened to cross over
on the tree bridge. She freezes in the middle and is in danger of falling into the stream. Jess
rescues her by leading her back to safety.
7. How does Jess feel that his relationship with Leslie has changed him? How does he begin
to “give back” some of the strength and caring he received from Leslie? Jess believes
that Leslie opened his imagination and turned him into a king. He realizes he must stand up
to his fears and give back to the world some of the strength and caring that Leslie gave him.
Jess begins by making a bridge to bring May Belle into Terabithia too. He makes May Belle
the new queen of Terabithia and encourages her to share the secret with Joyce Ann when
she is older.
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Name:
L itera tu r e Te st # 1
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
Ch ap te r s 1–4
1. What kind of person is Jess? What is his summer goal, and what does he do to reach it?
2. What is Jess’s relationship with his father like?
continued...
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3. Jess thinks that Leslie has “no notion of what you did and didn’t do.” List at least three
ways that Leslie’s behavior is different from that of other girls at Lark Creek.
4. Tell what Terabithia is. Whose idea was it, and how does Jess feel when he is there?
54
Name:
L itera tu r e Te st # 2
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
Ch ap te r s 5–8
1. What do Jess and Leslie do to get back at Janice Avery for stealing May Belle’s Twinkie?
What happens?
2. What gifts do Leslie and Jess give each other? Why does their gift exchange make Jess feel
better than his family’s Christmas does?
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3. Why does Jess suggest Leslie follow Janice Avery into the girls’ bathroom? Why was Janice
crying?
4. Why is Jess surprised by Leslie’s reaction to the Easter church service? What does May Belle
find shocking about Leslie’s beliefs?
56
Name:
L itera tu r e Te st # 3
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
Ch ap te r s 9–13
1. On Wednesday night, Jess decides not to go to Terabithia in the morning. Why? Why does
Jess feel embarrassed about this decision?
2. Describe Jess’s reaction when he first hears that Leslie has died.
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57
3. How does Jess show his anger when he finally realizes that Leslie is gone? How does his dad
help him begin to face his grief? .
4. How does Jess feel he has changed because of his friendship with Leslie? What does he
want to do now? How does he show this in his relationship with May Belle?
58
Name:
Vocabu la r y Tes t # 1
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
C h a p te r s 1–4
WRITE SENTENCES FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS:
genuine
fidgeting
stunned
soothingly
discomfort
ominously
hypocritical
portpone
abruptly
repulsive
59
Name:
Vocab u la r y Tes t # 2
Br id g e to Terab i t h i a
C h a p te r s 5–8
WRITE SENTENCES FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS:
obsessed
solemn
reluctant
desperate
promptness
exiled
splurged
inclined
hostile
absent-minded
60
Name:
Vocabu la r y Tes t # 3
Br id g e to Terab i th i a
C h a p te r s 9–13
WRITE SENTENCES FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS:
perceive
intently
stranded
idly
landmarks
despising
content
relentlessly
fragile
objection