<P> Jesse `` Jess '' Aarons ( Josh Hutcherson ) is a 12 - year - old aspiring artist living with his financially struggling family in Lark Creek . He rides the bus to school with his little sister May Belle ( Bailee Madison ) , where he avoids the school bully Janice Avery ( Lauren Clinton ) . In class , Jess is teased by classmates Scott Hoager ( Cameron Wakefield ) and Gary Fulcher ( Elliot Lawless ) , and meets new student Leslie Burke ( AnnaSophia Robb ) . At recess , Jess enters a running event , for which he had been training at home . Leslie also enters and manages to beat all the boys , much to Jess ' irritation . On the way home , Jess and Leslie learn that they are next - door neighbors . </P>
<P> Jesse `` Jess '' Aarons ( Josh Hutcherson ) is a 12 - year - old aspiring artist living with his financially struggling family in Lark Creek . He rides the bus to school with his little sister May Belle ( Bailee Madison ) , where he avoids the school bully Janice Avery ( Lauren Clinton ) . In class , Jess is teased by classmates Scott Hoager ( Cameron Wakefield ) and Gary Fulcher ( Elliot Lawless ) , and meets new student Leslie Burke ( AnnaSophia Robb ) . At recess , Jess enters a running event , for which he had been training at home . Leslie also enters and manages to beat all the boys , much to Jess ' irritation . On the way home , Jess and Leslie learn that they are next - door neighbors . </P>
girl who plays leslie in bridge to terabithia
girl who plays leslie in bridge to terabithia
AnnaSophia Robb
AnnaSophia Robb