Which 1977 children's novel by Katherine Paterson was banned in some schools for its depiction of death?

The 1977 children’s novel by Katherine Paterson challenged in schools for its depiction of death is Bridge to Terabithia.

The novel follows Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, two fifth-graders who create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia in the woods near their rural Virginia homes. Their friendship helps Jess become more confident and imaginative, but the story takes a tragic turn when Leslie dies in an accident while trying to cross a creek.

That sudden death is central to the book’s emotional purpose: it explores grief, guilt, friendship, imagination, and the difficult process of accepting loss. Some schools and parents have challenged the novel because its treatment of a child’s death can feel unusually intense for younger readers. Other objections have focused on profanity, references to religion, and alleged occult or witchcraft themes.

The book is often confused with Where the Red Fern Grows, another children’s classic known for a devastating death. Bridge to Terabithia won the Newbery Medal in 1978 and was adapted into a major film in 2007.