R. L. Stine knows a bit about fear and horror. As author of the Goosebumps series, Stine has been scaring readers for years.

Animals feel fear and use it to their advantage. For instance, skunks spray when they feel threatened. Their powerful odor is actually a defense mechanism. Other animals run and hide when they sense danger. In these cases, fear saves these animals from harm.

What does fear do for people?

There are as many different ways to respond to fear — positive and negative — as there are fears themselves. Ignoring fear altogether is not a good plan. Often people deny their fears because they don't want to seem cowardly.

Putting up a brave front so as to not appear "chicken" might seem like a good idea, but it is never a good plan to lie to yourself.

The smart way to react to fear is to assess situations and not let emotion determine your actions.

Common Fears Instructions: Match the elements on the left with the elements on the right. Click on the target next to an element in the left column, then drag a line to its counterpart in the right column. Correctly matched elements will turn green in color, and the line between them will stick. If the elements don't match, the line will disappear and you'll have to try again! Click Here!

Peer Pressure

Although Jess is scared of the grove of pines, with Leslie by his side, he tries to overcome his fears.

Because his best friend is doing it.

Sometimes people are caught in a tug-of-war between peer pressure and personal fears. We learn that Jess "could not hang back" when Leslie crosses. His fear of being teased or disappointing Leslie is stronger than his natural fear of the water.

Jess even knows that Leslie would not make fun of him for being afraid, but he still makes himself go. Later on, we learn that it was Jess who "minded being afraid."

What Are You Afraid Of?: How does Jesse show his fear? Does he express it, give in to it, or try to work through it?

Fear of the Unknown

But we need to face fear of the unknown if we ever want to accomplish new things.

Rosa Parks had to overcome her fear when she stood up for what she thought was right. Overcoming fear is often a stepping stone to great accomplishments.

Think about how archaeologist Howard Carter must have felt when he descended the steps of King Tut's untouched tomb. Was he afraid he might come to harm because of the tomb's curse?

Or consider the feeling of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth. How did he feel looking at our planet from space?

Both men were probably anxious, nervous, and excited at the same time. But if they had let their fear overcome them, their great accomplishments might never have come to pass. (Or someone else might have done it instead!)

When Jess finally realizes that it's okay to be afraid he takes a big step in his emotional growth. He crosses an emotional bridge. He goes from blaming himself for being afraid to learning how to deal with his fear.

For Jess, overcoming fear of the unknown is a good thing. At the start of Bridge to Terabithia, Leslie is "the unknown." In stepping into Leslie's world, though, Jess comes away with a dear friend that he would have never had if he had not taken that chance.

		Bold Leaps: Jess is afraid of crossing the water, but he eventually does it. Have you ever overcome a fear?

Terabithia Facts Instructions: Answer the questions. For each correct answer you give, your car moves ahead one space. Each wrong answer advances your opponent's car one space. Do you know enough to win the race? Happy racing! Click Here!

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