Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6, with a Lexile measure of 810L. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Bridge to Terabithia is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 810L
- Grade range
- Grades 4–6
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
- Age range
- Ages 9–12
- Pages
- 163
- Reading time
- about 3 hours (est.)
- First published
- 1977
- Genre
- Children's Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780064401845
Reading difficulty: At 810L, Bridge to Terabithia falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
Where to find this book
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About this book
Fifth-grader Jess Aarons, a rural Virginian, befriends Leslie Burke, a new neighbor, and they invent a secret woodland kingdom. Paterson's Newbery-winning novel handles friendship and grief at a middle-grade level and is widely assigned in 4th- and 5th-grade English.
Why widely assigned
This Children's Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and imagination; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
friendship · imagination · grief and loss · rural childhood · class · family dynamics
Content notes
death of a child · family tension · grief
Common Sense Media recommends age 10+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
Similar grade-level books
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins · 810L
Charlotte's WebE.B. White · 680L
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
See all books like Bridge to Terabithia→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Bridge to Terabithia?
- Bridge to Terabithia is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6, with a Lexile measure of 810L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Bridge to Terabithia?
- Bridge to Terabithia has a Lexile measure of 810L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- How long does it take to read Bridge to Terabithia?
- It takes about 3 hours to read Bridge to Terabithia (163 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 180 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Bridge to Terabithia hard to read for 4th grade?
- At 810L, Bridge to Terabithia falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign Bridge to Terabithia?
- Bridge to Terabithia appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 810L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 4–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: summer.