In Katherine Paterson's book Bridge to Terabithia, Jess Aarons has to face many obstacles and cross many bridges in his friendship with Leslie Burke.

For starters, there would have been no Tiger Woods, Eleanor Roosevelt, Oprah Winfrey, or Walt Disney.

That's pretty boring.

These people, and others who have become top in their field, would probably tell you that as children they were teased and laughed at for being "different."

Everyone tells kids that they are special and that they are unique. But people react negatively, sometimes even harshly, to people who seem "different."

Jess and Leslie are different.

Jess is "that crazy little kid that draws all the time," and Leslie dresses funny and eats food that seems strange to the other kids. Her parents are unlike the other parents in town. Their freethinking ideas make them "little more than hippies." Leslie also likes to run with the boys rather than play games with the girls.

That's not the norm for kids in Lovettsville.

		A Poem on Difference: In a poem, express your feelings on being different.

Katherine Paterson talks to the Internet Public Library about her life and the motivation behind Bridge to Terabithia.

Why would people tease Jess about his art and Leslie about her running? Couldn't Jess and Leslie be the next Charles Schulz and Marion Jones? It's possible that others feel threatened by Jess and Leslie's skills or that they fear change.

Being different isn't easy. Sometimes it's hard to believe in yourself.

Luckily, "different" people often find one another. When Jess and Leslie meet, it is their differences that help make them friends. Because the two know what it's like to be ridiculed, they are able to recognize one another's special qualities. In Leslie and the music teacher, Miss Edmunds, Jess finds people who not only understand his love of art, but also encourage him to "keep it up."

		A Different Story: Why is being "different" such a common theme in stories? Maybe it's because there are a lot of "different" people in the world.

Sometimes, as is the case with Jesse, the "difference" in a person may be his or her unique ability. Alexandra Nechita painted True Love when she was eight years old!

Katherine Paterson thinks her books "should tell a story about people as truthfully and powerfully as possible." Bridge to Terabithia shows differences in a realistic way and shows how hurtful and unaccepting people can be.

We can learn from reading Bridge to Terabithia is that everyone is special — and that's not just some corny line.

People such as Jess, Leslie, Miss Edmunds, the Burkes, and even Janice Avery may come into our lives at any given moment. It is up to us to recognize that their differences can enrich our own lives, and remember that we might be the one who is different to others.

Why Are They Different? Instructions: Click and drag the circled numbers onto the correct images. You can click any picture at any time to see an enlargement. When all circled numbers are placed onto pictures, click "Submit." If you got some wrong, try again and again click "Submit." When completed correctly, hover over each picture to find more information. Click Here!

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