Stories

Story·Abby Lustig, age 11 — A girl races along the beach following a dolphin, sprinting through sand and tide pools to keep up with the graceful creature before having to leave for the airport.

Story·Katherine E. All, age 12 — A girl chosen as a dragon sacrifice discovers that her brother's lily hair clip, given as a farewell gift, becomes the weapon that defeats the beast.

Story·Grace Manning, age 12 — During a sailing race with a $100 prize, a boy gives up certain victory to help his friend win the money for his dying father's medical care.

Story·Alyssa Ingle, age 12 — A middle child feels invisible after her baby brother's birth, finally confronts her parents about feeling neglected, and receives the love and attention she's been craving.

Story·Krystle DiCristofalo, age 12 — Three friends exploring an abandoned house discover photographs in the basement showing children who look exactly like them, wearing the same old clothes they've been trying on.

Story·David Agosto-Ginsburg, age 11 — Jake dreads sharing summer camp with his autistic brother Chris, but when a bully targets Chris, Jake discovers his brother's resilience during a chess tournament showdown.

Story·Naomi Vliet, age 11 — A wild mare protects her foal from mustangers, is rescued by police, and forms a bond with a girl who ultimately sets them free, only to have them return.

Story·Lucy Lu, age 12 — A young boy searches a war-torn battlefield for his father after his mother's death, crossing a freezing river to finally find him through their matching blue eyes.

Story·Isabel Folger, age 10 — A girl afraid of dogs since childhood overcomes her fear to rescue a stray on Christmas Eve, convincing her family to adopt him as their annual charity project.

Story·Alexandra Langley, age 12 — A grieving boy finds his dead mother's spirit in a swan at the pond she loved, after dreams tell him to 'listen to it.'