Stories
— A digger at a World War III archaeological site discovers a general's journal that reveals how soldiers were lost in a catastrophic storm, changing his family's fortunes.
— A girl grows from child to grandmother, repeatedly passing an old woman who rakes leaves through the seasons, only recognizing her absence when it's too late.
— After her best friend moves to Switzerland, an eight-year-old girl struggles with loneliness at school and finds solace in their Skype conversations, though nothing feels the same.
— A bullied boy finds a magic pen that grants him superpowers, but his friend's rejection teaches him that real heroism doesn't require magic.
— Beverly Henderson, orphaned in 1950s Idaho, befriends a raccoon named Bandit who later betrays her, causing an explosion that kills her father and leaves her in a 13-year coma.
— In a world of trash and rain, a child builds a forest from discarded materials, creating tigers and toucans from tin, though the colorless creation leaves them longing.
— Three children discover they've been trapped in a virtual reality 'perfect world' experiment since infancy and must escape with help from a psychologist's daughter.
— A Spanish nobleman's son discovers a fossil in the mansion's garden creek that turns out to be an ancient baby dragon's tooth, bringing him lasting fame.
— A homeless orphan girl in Paris meets a mysterious old woman who turns out to be a pirate captain, and after stealing her ring, is invited to join the crew.
— A freelance journalist travels to Syria to report on the civil war, interviewing refugees in a camp and finding wisdom in an elderly woman's perspective on conflict.