ACARA Years 3-6

Story·Josepha Natzke, age 13 — A magnificent buck stands guard at forest's edge, sensing danger, then battles a hungry cougar to protect the sleeping does and fawns.

Story·Lizzy Teerlink, age 13 — A young boy in 1950s Chicago waits for Christmas morning when a reindeer mysteriously enters his bedroom, leaving him with a magical encounter he'll never forget.

Story·Nadia Froese, age 13 — A nervous rider and her pony overcome a disastrous warm-up to deliver a near-perfect show jumping round, discovering their hidden connection in the process.

Poetry·Dylan Sherman, age 10 — White becomes a meditation on beauty and renewal through images of doves, snow, sails, and roses emerging from ashes.

Poetry·Ryan Sparks, age 12 — A brother witnesses a newborn's first moments of consciousness, watching as the baby's eyes open to light and a world of new experiences.

Poetry·Mia Ba-Lu Hildebrandt, age 12 — A young girl walking to school becomes enchanted by a brown-and-white tabby cat following her, despite her mother's urgings to hurry along.

Poetry·Eliza Putnam, age 13 — A reader abandons her book to follow the calls of wood frogs and peepers through her window onto the porch roof, where their chorus declares 'We are alive.'

Story·Hayden Rasberry, age 11 — A lonely boy struggling with growing up finds an abandoned dog on the street and secretly brings him home, only to discover his parents had planned to get him a...

Poetry·Laura Dzubay, age 11 — A father and daughter play frisbee at sunset, their throws and catches becoming a wordless conversation of connection and understanding.

Story·Hugh Cole, age 12 — A girl in coastal Maine discovers a ferret she names Rumor at an abandoned lighthouse and saves it from a hawk, forming a brief connection before it disappears.