A secret world of their own Jess Aaron’s greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He’s been practicing all summer and can’t wait to see his classmates’ faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school,a new kida new girlboldly crosses over to the boy’s side of the playground and outruns everyone. That’s not a very promising beginning for a friendshipbut Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. It doesn’t matter to Jess that leslie dresses funnyor that her family has a lot of money — but no TV. Leslie has imagination. Togethershe and Jess create Terabithiaa magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queenand their imaginations set the only limits. Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.