ACARA Years 3-6

Story·Rebecca Orchard, age 12 — On planet Matia 3, where girls are expected to raise families, Retsina attempts her fourth and final chance to become a Space Cadet, competing against boys in a grueling test.

Story·Meredith Allen, age 12 — Two bored suburban kids venture into the swamp seeking a legendary hermit, encounter an alligator, and are saved by the very man they sought.

Story·Jack Mesich — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then saves them from a grass fire sparked by lightning, losing one cub before finding her again.

Story·Tara Stroll, age 13 — A teenage trapper and his dog get lost in a Canadian blizzard, facing freezing water, injuries, and near-death before finding their way to safety.

Story·Peter Swegart, age 10 — A foster brother recalls two years with Jack, an orphan boy who arrived scared and angry but slowly learned to play, trust, and eventually found adoptive parents.

Story·Fiona Cull, age 11 — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then must rescue them from a lightning-sparked grassfire that threatens their den.

Story·Lia C, age 13 — A girl sneaks out at dawn to visit her secret berry patch, where she reflects on how she's grown since moving from Florida, like berries ripening from green to black.

Story·Vanessa Coakley, age 12 — A grandmother tells her granddaughter about getting lost in a blizzard while buying a Christmas gift, finding shelter in their own barn, and mysteriously recovering the lost watch.

Story·Naomi Rowsell, age 12 — A girl recalls weekly trips with her father to meet the Nordic Express freight boat, sharing quiet moments of connection through held hands and vending machine treats.

Story·Ben Guarino, age 11 — A seven-year-old searching for snakes in his backyard encounters a timber rattlesnake that bites him when he moves too suddenly, leading to hospitalization.