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Quick answer: If you loved Bridge to Terabithia, read A Monster Calls, Charlotte's Web, Where the Red Fern Grows and Walk Two Moons. All are moving middle-grade stories about friendship, imagination and loss.
Katherine Paterson's 1977 novel follows Jess and Leslie, who invent a magical kingdom in the woods until a tragedy changes everything. It is a classic about friendship and grief that has also been challenged for its sadness. The books below share its honest treatment of big feelings for readers aged 9 to 13.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Monster Calls | Patrick Ness | Ages 12+ | grief and imagination |
| Charlotte's Web | E.B. White | 7-11 | friendship classics |
| Where the Red Fern Grows | Wilson Rawls | 10-14 | boy-and-dog stories |
| Walk Two Moons | Sharon Creech | 10-14 | journeys and grief |
| Tuck Everlasting | Natalie Babbitt | 9-13 | questions about life |
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | warm small-town tales |
| Wonder | R.J. Palacio | 8-12 | empathy |
| Love That Dog | Sharon Creech | 8-12 | poems and pets |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-14 | survival adventures |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | 10-13 | mystery and humour |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 10-13 | survival stories |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 9-12 | historical friendship |
| Sarah, Plain and Tall | Patricia MacLachlan | 8-12 | short and lyrical |
| The Great Gilly Hopkins | Katherine Paterson | 10-13 | more Paterson |
| Maniac Magee | Jerry Spinelli | 9-13 | belonging |
1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
A boy whose mother is ill is visited by a monster at night. Dark, moving and illustrated, it deals with grief with courage.
Best for: grief and imagination.
2. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
A pig named Wilbur is saved by his friend Charlotte the spider. A gentle classic about friendship and loss.
Best for: friendship classics.
3. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
A boy trains two hunting dogs in the Ozarks. A tearjerker about loyalty and love.
Best for: boy-and-dog stories.
4. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Salamanca tells a story on a road trip while searching for her mother. Funny, sad and layered.
Best for: journeys and grief.
5. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
A girl meets a family who have discovered a spring that gives eternal life. Thoughtful and beautifully written.
Best for: questions about life.
6. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Opal adopts a stray dog and makes friends in a Florida town. Sweet, funny and soothing.
Best for: warm small-town tales.
7. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
A boy with a facial difference starts school. Told from many perspectives with kindness.
Best for: empathy.
8. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
A boy slowly learns to love poetry and shares his feelings about his dog. Short and moving, in verse.
Best for: poems and pets.
9. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Fast and tense.
Best for: survival adventures.
10. Holes by Louis Sachar
Stanley is sent to a camp where boys dig holes in the desert. Funny and clever with a big payoff.
Best for: mystery and humour.
11. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl survives alone on an island for years. A Newbery winner based on a true story.
Best for: survival stories.
12. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A Danish girl helps her Jewish friend escape during World War II. A moving look at courage.
Best for: historical friendship.
13. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
A mail-order bride arrives on the prairie and changes a family. Short and gentle.
Best for: short and lyrical.
14. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A foster child tries to push everyone away and learns to care. Honest and funny, by the same author.
Best for: more Paterson.
15. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
An orphan runs through a divided town and breaks barriers. A Newbery winner about race and belonging.
Best for: belonging.
How to Choose
If you want more by Katherine Paterson, begin with The Great Gilly Hopkins. For emotional stories about loss, pick A Monster Calls, Charlotte's Web or Where the Red Fern Grows. For friendship and humour, try Because of Winn-Dixie, Wonder or Holes. For survival and adventure, choose Hatchet or Island of the Blue Dolphins. Many of these books deal with death, so parents may want to read along or discuss them afterwards. A good approach is to read the book together and talk about the ending, because Paterson wrote it after her son's friend died. Pair a sad book with a lighter one, such as Because of Winn-Dixie or Holes, if your child needs a break.
Related: What Age Is Bridge to Terabithia Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide · What Age Is Bridge to Terabithia Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bridge to Terabithia about?
Jess befriends Leslie, a new girl, and they create the imaginary land of Terabithia in the woods.
Is Bridge to Terabithia sad?
Yes, it deals with the death of a main character.
What age is it for?
Roughly 9 to 12, though it can be read earlier with a parent.
Did it win an award?
Yes, it won the Newbery Medal in 1978.
Is there a movie?
Yes, a 2007 film adaptation was released.
Why was Bridge to Terabithia challenged?
Some parents objected to its themes of death and its portrayal of a character's religious questions, but many schools use it in class.
Is the book better than the movie?
Most readers say yes, because the book's ending is quieter and more subtle.
Who is Katherine Paterson?
She is an American author who has won two Newbery Medals.
Can younger children read Bridge to Terabithia?
Some can, but because of the death in the story, many parents read it with a child of eight or nine and talk about it afterwards.