ACARA Years 3-6

Story·Reid Plumley, age 13 — A mountaineer separated from his team in a whiteout falls into a crevasse, is rescued by a yeti, and makes a harrowing solo descent to reach base camp.

Story·Jeanne Mack, age 12 — A Korean boy moves to America to join his father but cannot speak English aloud until a chess game with his tutor breaks through his fear.

Story·Sharon Wang, age 12 — A mother tells her daughter about strangers who helped her stuck car in a blizzard years ago, and how she repaid their kindness by helping others on snowy roads.

Story·Jag Michael Stephens, age 10 — A feared substitute bus driver called 'No Mercy Mercer' turns out to be a gentle grandfather who uses his tough reputation to maintain order on the bus.

Poetry·Travis Wilkins-Smith, age 12 — A cacophony of crying baby sounds builds to overwhelming intensity until suddenly the infant sleeps and the house transforms into exaggerated silence.

Poetry·Natalia M. Thompson, age 11 — A young writer captures the vibrant sounds of a Mexican fiesta through bilingual verse, celebrating mariachis, street vendors, and women making tortillas.

Story·Madeline Johnson, age 10 — A girl loses her beloved tiger Beanie Baby at the beach, and the story alternates between her grief and the stuffed animal's ocean adventure before their reunion.

Poetry·Mark Roberts, age 12 — A 12-year-old reflects on privilege and poverty after seeing a photo of Diego, a Guatemalan child he plans to sponsor as a 'big brother.'

Story·Nora Rothman, age 11 — In 1850, a sixteen-year-old girl who dreams of more than housework meets a stranger who takes her poetry to a printing press, changing her life forever.

Story·Alyssa Fowers, age 11 — A young figure skater plagued by nightmares must perform alone after injuring her twin sister during practice, discovering she can find strength without hiding behind her.