Looking for an eclectic collection of books like Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger, I’ve spent over a decade reading, analyzing, and recommending the best novels that answer this question.
You’ll find detailed reviews of more than a dozen of my favorites in the roundup below. I’ve personally curated this collection from my own bookshelves. While many Bridge to Terabithia lists focus on middle-grade readers, I’ve hand-picked these YA titles specifically for high school and college-aged readers who are looking for death & dying stories that match their current emotional maturity.
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
“I stare at my sister in this bed. She is mine. She is here, and I cannot imagine that she is not. That she will never be here again. How can it be true? I see her before me. Her chest is rising, falling, rising, falling. Her hand is warm in mine.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Delinquent Hero
I loved the complex and tragic friendship between Jess and Leslie that’s portrayed in Bridge to Terabithia. If you’re like me and enjoy great “tear jerkers,” The Delinquent Hero offers another raw exploration of sudden loss and devastating heartbreak.
At its core is Molly, desperate for answers after her older sister, Kat, lands in the hospital. Something is suspicious. The investigation unfolds in real time, peeling back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond they’ve always shared. For Molly, reconnecting with Kat means slipping into their old patterns of relating to one another.
What made The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable for me was the heart-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened that night, but understanding Kat herself in the final months of her life. The novel didn’t just tell a story; it forced me to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
If you loved those qualities in Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, I recommend this hidden gem as a must-read.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” ― John Green, quote from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about grief and loss—perfect for readers seeking another “ugly cry” after reading Bridge to Terabithia.
Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
If you’re looking for the sweetest and most heart-wrenching star-crossed love story, pick up this classic. If you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
“She peels an orange, separates it in perfect halves, and gives one of them to me. If I could wear it like a friendship bracelet, I would. Instead I swallow it section by section and tell myself it means even more this way. To chew and to swallow in silence here with her.” ― Nina LaCour, quote from We Are Okay
I wanted to read this book for many years on the basis of its cover alone. Look at it! I didn’t even know what the story was about, but it must be beautiful with artwork like that, right?
The book blurb doesn’t prepare you for what this story is about. The plot meanders between present and past. In the present, Marin is staying in her freshman dorm room alone over Christmas break because tragedy has occurred. What tragedy? Well, that’s the big mystery. Her best friend Mabel from California shows up to try to talk her into coming home, and oh by the way, the two of them were romantically involved in the past.
But not anymore.
Mabel doesn’t understand why Marin left without speaking, what happened in the interim, and why she is refusing to come home. Finding out these answers is the main story, but what this book is really about is grief, loneliness, betrayal, longing, being orphaned, and growing up.
I liked We Are Okay. It’s quiet. It’s understated and lovely. I really felt Marin’s sorrow.
If you are looking for books similar to Bridge to Terabithia that portray grown-up grief, you definitely want to add this one to your TBR pile!
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
After re-reading this book a second time this year, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the the first. I liked the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the story, the language, and the symbolism.
Blue is a primary color.
This lovely YA book is about suicide, depression, and loss, and Niven handles all of these difficult topics with honesty and resonance. All the Bright Places is one of my all-time favorites and a perfect pick for mature readers looking for books similar to Bridge to Terabithia.
How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
“You are carrying so many heavy feelings. There just isn’t enough room for them all.“ ― Kathleen Glasgow, quote from How to Make Friends with the Dark
Readers looking for the ultimate guide to surviving an unexpected death like that in Bridge to Teribithia will enjoy this thought-provoking story about a teen named Tiger Tolliver who becomes an orphan after her mom dies of a brain aneurysm. This sudden event makes her a ward of the state, faced with an uncertain future.
Tiger doesn't have any living relatives. She doesn't know anything about her father. It's just her and her mom--and now just her. A minor.
What Tiger begins to learn is that her mom kept some important secrets from her. For example, she has a living dad. And a sister.
This YA novel about orphans and fosters is a real tear jerker! Tiger strikes me a sheltered girl with little real life experience; on the day her mom died, she was kissing a boy for the first time. She wasn't prepared for the events that followed as she entered the system. Yet, despite her tragic circumstances, she makes a path for herself. She makes mistakes but doesn't fall off a cliff. She keeps people at a cautious distance, but she does make friends and finds a way to build a new family for herself.
How to Make Friends with the Dark will tug at your heartstrings. Bring extra tissues for this one!
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
“What kind of girl wants to kiss every boy at a funeral, wants to maul a guy in a tree after making out with her sister’s boyfriend the previous night? Speaking of which, what kind of girl makes out with her sister’s boyfriend, period?” ― Jandy Nelson, quote from The Sky Is Everywhere
I love, love, loved this book! The writing is so lyrical, and the story is incredibly sad. It begins with protagonist Lennie, who is grieving the sudden death of her sister. Although Bailey is dead, the relationship between these siblings is very much alive on the pages of this novel. Lennie writes beautiful poems, and she spends time in their room and shares so many memories that I feel I know Bailey.
A charismatic new boy shows up at school, and Lennie ends up entering into 2 romances at the same time. This is the love triangle. One romance is with the new boy at school, and the other is with her dead sister’s grieving boyfriend. Sooner or later, she has to decide which one of these guys is the one she’s going to stick with. Oh, boy.
All of the characters are vivid, and the story is captivating. The creative visual aspect of the novel is also a nice touch; Lennie writes her poems on scraps and scatters them everywhere, and these appear at the beginning of chapters.
If you loved Bridge to Terabithia and are looking for another heartbreaking read, be sure to read this one.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
“Life feels beautiful that day. The four of us Liars, we have always been. We always will be. No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddledown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” ― E. Lockhart, quote from We Were Liars
What an unexpected and beautiful story about friendship, coming of age, and sorrow! Readers who loved the ending of Bridge to Terabithia will enjoy this YA novel, which is often categorized as a thriller but is much more than that.
At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I fell in love with it. By the end it made me cry. We Were Liars is about a group of privileged young friends and their lies, family secrets, grief, and love. It’s a mystery. Its private island setting evokes all kinds of summer images: the beach, the heat, the sun. The beautiful and disorienting plot will leave you reader breathless until the very end.
If you haven’t picked this one up yet and are looking for a great YA book about grief and loss, do yourself a favor. It’s a whirlwind read.
Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
“We used to be pretty good friends, but fourteen-year-old girls are psychotic.” ― Jesse Andrews, quote from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
How can a book about a teenage girl dying from leukemia be so funny?
Greg and Earl are weird, unlikely friends and amateur filmmakers who manage to fly below the radar at school and enjoy their private world. Then Greg’s mom makes him reach out to Rachel, a childhood friend who has been diagnosed with leukemia and needs a friend.
Earl turns out to be the more compassionate of the pair, and the two of them set out to make a movie about Rachel. Their brilliant idea fails in execution and is the Worst Film Ever Made.
This fun, funny, and all-around wonderful YA book about grief, loss, and friendship is full of crude humor, heart, honesty, and surprises as Greg learns things about his long-time friend Earl, as well as himself, through this journey with the dying girl, Rachel. I can’t say enough good about it. Buy it. Read it. Laugh.
The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow
“Every morning when I wake up, I don’t think I’m going to make it. Or maybe I think that I don’t want to make it. I’m heavy with what I did the night before and I’m heavy with everything inside me and sometimes it is just too goddamn much to carry around.” ― Kathleen Glasgow, quote from The Glass Girl
Everything Kathleen Glasgow writes is pure gold, and The Glass Girl is no exception.
Bella is a 15-year-old girl with a drinking problem. Her parents divorced and put her in the middle, and her 7-year-old little sister needs her more than ever, and her beloved grandmother died, and her boyfriend broke up with her because she's "too much" (his words), and life really sucks except when she's drinking.
Bella hits bottom as most addicts do and finds herself in the hospital and then in rehab. Her journey through recovery and back to real life is not linear, and along the way, I fell in love with her and her pain. She's very authentic and young. There are moments when she shines so, so brightly, and I just wanted to hug her.
Her relationship with her little sister, Ricci, is sweet and integral to the story. The impact of Bella’s drinking and recovery hits Ricci as well.
If you're looking for a wonderful YA book about grief, you must pick up Kathleen Glasgow's latest, The Glass Girl.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
“Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.” ― Kristin Hannah, quote from The Great Alone
Leni is 13 when her parents decide to relocate to Alaska. She’s used to moving around a lot and not fitting in, so her expectations about this place aren’t very high, either. Children of all ages share the same schoolhouse, and there is one other kid her age. A boy, Matthew Walker. They become fast friends—and eventually, much more.
Alaska is beautiful. Although the new homestead is wonderful at first, the descent of winter and darkness brings out her father’s abuse. A former POW from the Vietnam war, he is now a violent, alcoholic, and paranoid man whose rage targets his fragile wife.
So many good and terrible things happen in this sweeping novel. Leni is a compelling character, and in fact, there is a whole cast of interesting people in Alaska who protect and care for one another. Survival depends on community in this wilderness place.
If you loved Bridge to Terabithia for its portrayals of friendship and loss, I’m confident you’ll also enjoy The Great Alone.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
“She has compared me to my sister every single day of my life, so why should I expect that to change now that she’s dead?” ― Erika L. Sanchez, quote from I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
I loved the cover on this novel, and with so many stars and enthusiastic reviews, I figured I would love this story. There is an interesting mystery about what happened to Julia’s older sister Olga, who died in front of a truck. There is an interesting view into Mexican culture.
But.
The mother-daughter relationship (which is the title of the book) is not the real focus of the story. The mother is portrayed as traditional and strict, but she’s also mostly a shadow and underdeveloped character. Julia, the daughter, is a hard character to like because she has so many hard edges, and I never reached a point of real empathy or connection with her—even though she is a grieving person. Instead, I felt like the book was a checklist of YA book “issues” without any depth or focus on any of them: immigration, depression, first-time sex, death of a sibling, food, Mexican culture, drug usage, attempted suicide, rape… The list could continue.
You will probably feel differently. Literally thousands of readers on Goodreads loved this book. And like Bridge to Terabithia, this novel is an award winner.
The Hint of Light by Kristin Kisska
“Motherhood is not for the weak. In my opinion, it should have a warning label attached to it—only dedicated individuals with boundless energy, unconditional love, and a high tolerance for pain need apply.” ― Kristin Kisska, quote from The Hint of Light
This debut novel is about many things: mystery, redemption, secrets, resentments, innocence, and love. I wanted a faster pace. I wanted a thriller. Kristen Kisska didn't give me that. Instead, The Hint of Light reveals its story slowly, shifting back and forth in time and between multiple character viewpoints:
Kyle, the son who is dead, slowly gives us the backstory of his recovery and new relationship with his recently-discovered daughter.
Ally, the 18-year-old daughter, who tells both before and after versions. She is grieving a father so recently found... and then lost.
Margaret, the mother, who also reveals a then and now story.
There is the story question of how Kyle really died, as well as the secret that slowly becomes clearer as the past and present layers are pulled away.
The Hint of Light is a lovely, quiet, and yet sometimes shocking novel about family and the power of a mother's love. If you’re looking for books about grief and loss, check it out. Even though it’s not “YA", it’s worth the read.
Other YA Books Similar to Bridge to Terabithia
If you are looking other books similar to Bridge to Terabithia check out the Readers Who Enjoyed Bridge to Terabithia lists on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type of tough topic.
About the Author: Khristina Chess
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
