US Common Core ELA

Story·Annam Nayak, age 12 — A young man who can speak to birds is banished by his father after revealing an unwelcome prophecy, but returns years later wealthy and wise, fulfilling the birds' prediction.

Story·Maisie Zipfel — An outcast seventh-grader's wish on a shooting star leads to unexpected friendship when he's paired with the school's intimidating new girl for a biology project.

Poetry·Rosemary Engelfried, age 13 — A Pacific Northwest autumn storm transforms Douglas firs and ocean cliffs into a world of fog, rain, and distant waves.

Story·Marlee Rosenthal, age 12 — A girl's memory of discovering chicken pot pie with her aunt transforms an ordinary Thursday dinner at Ponzio's into a sensory celebration of family tradition.

Story·Olivia Grugan, age 13 — A teenage girl recounts the day her family's beloved pond became the site of tragedy when a six-year-old Amish boy drowned during a gathering.

Story·Marian Homans-Turnbull, age 13 — A girl's last morning on a Nova Scotia island turns into a fog-bound adventure when their boat gets lost, leading to an unexpected sail on a schooner.

Poetry·Nicole Guenther, age 12 — A young poet confronts mortality by imagining flight beyond Earth's gravity, transforming the fear of nothingness into an invitation to soar through unnamed universes.

Story·Samantha Cecil, age 10 — A nerdy seventh-grader wishes on a shooting star to be popular, and when a tough new girl arrives at school, his life unexpectedly changes through their forced partnership.

Story·Julia Duchesne, age 13 — A boy discovers his natural rock-climbing talent during a family vacation, then faces his first real test when his sister's life hangs in the balance on a Greek cliff.

Story·Caroline Lu, age 10 — A girl narrates her family's early morning departure from North Carolina to Texas, struggling to accept leaving the only home she's ever known.