ACARA Years 3-6

Story·Sarina Rani Deb, age 10 — A boy's beloved husky Breeze becomes a local hero by saving lives, but dies after being injured in a blizzard while seeking shelter.

Story·Alice Ford, age 9 — After a friendship ruptures over a science project, Jess discovers her late mother's journals and plans a camping sleepover to reconcile with Bailey under the stars.

Poetry·Abigail D'Agosta, age 12 — A chicken investigates a strange furry creature through the coop wire, stretching its neck cautiously before pecking the cat's ear.

Story·Brooke Fallows, age 11 — A girl remembers her grandfather through visits to a train station and Olvera Street, then recounts his death and what he taught her about time and memory.

Story·Emily Worrell, age 12 — In 1940s America, a girl defies gender expectations to join the local baseball league, facing down the hostile coach and proving herself with a crucial home run.

Story·Shyla DeLand, age 11 — After a weasel kills her beloved rooster Cocky, a girl struggles with guilt over loving a new chick until her mother helps her understand that loving again doesn't betray the...

Story·Annnabel Chosy, age 11 — After a power outage during a grief support group, a girl searches for her missing classmate and discovers they share a deeper bond through loss.

Poetry·Stella White, age 11 — A girl lies in her father's childhood bed in London, watching trains pass and imagining his life decades earlier in the same room.

Story·Greta Kvittem, age 12 — An 11-year-old girl attends her first professional ballet performance for her grandmother's birthday and discovers her calling to become a ballerina.

Poetry·Sam Laskin, age 10 — A boy battles nighttime fears as ordinary sounds transform into terrifying threats, until controlled breathing finally brings sleep.