UK KS2

Story·Claudia Ross, age 12 — A girl races to catch waves on the last days of summer, gets tumbled by a big swell, then eagerly paddles back out for more.

Story·Alison Buick, age 13 — A young ballet dancer auditions for Odette in Swan Lake, loses to her rival Michelle, but gets to perform when Michelle injures her ankle during opening night.

Story·Emmy J. X. Wong, age 12 — A Newfoundland girl finds a mysterious bottle on the shore, launches it with a carved whale inside, and watches it travel the world collecting treasures from children in different countries.

Poetry·Alec Zollman, age 13 — A cyclist pushes through burning thighs and approaching storms, hill by hill, until reaching the lake's perfect relief.

Story·Mae Hardman-Hill, age 10 — When Leo announces he's moving to New York City, his best friend Anabeth gives him a drawing of them biking by Seneca Lake, which he keeps for nine years.

Story·Eliza Putnam, age 12 — Three friends spend a summer day cloud-watching, playing word games, climbing rocks, and spinning down hills until they're dizzy and mud-covered.

Story·Rose Diltz, age 13 — A girl afraid of everything must rescue her best friend when a storm causes a riding accident, discovering courage she didn't know she had.

Poetry·Andrew Lee, age 13 — A speedcuber's hands fly over a Rubik's cube, colors sparking through the air, until the puzzle emerges whole again as the stopwatch beeps.

Story·Iona Swift, age 12 — After losing a theater role, a girl flees to a creek where nature's calm gradually soothes her devastation and helps her find peace.

Story·Madison Kwasny, age 12 — A girl returns to an unchanged room filled with soap collections, antique brushes, and family memorabilia, finding comfort in its familiar details and lake views.