US Common Core ELA

Story·Casey Tolan, age 13 — A boy discovers he has the potential for forbidden Time Magic when sent to his uncle's island cabin, then races to help his homeland when war breaks out.

Story·Anna Currey, age 12 — Stranded on an island for five days after crashing her boat, Mae survives on crabs and snails while watching distant Fourth of July fireworks spark an epiphany about life's beauty.

Story·Adam Jacobs, age 11 — A boy's Thursday prank of dumping mud on his parents backfires when they transform into pigs, leading to a frantic chase that ends with the revelation it was all a...

Story·Roya Alkamil, age 12 — A Jordanian girl who refuses to make friends at her new American school learns that preserving her identity doesn't require isolation when a classmate reaches out.

Poetry·Anna Preston, age 12 — A frog on a lily pad becomes a graceful dancer, tensing and leaping through rain to catch her dinner with a flick of her tongue.

Story·Lyla Lawless, age 13 — A straight-A student wrongly accuses a shy new girl of stealing her homework, leading to a cafeteria confrontation and a chance at redemption through detention.

Story·Brigid Cami, age 13 — A girl rushes through homework to spend thirty minutes by a lake, feeding ducks and contemplating the vast sky and her future.

Poetry·Sayre White, age 13 — A granddaughter remembers intimate morning rituals with her grandmother—hot water, waffles, hair combing—and wishes she could share her grown self with the woman who died too soon.

Story·Margaret Bryan, age 12 — A cross-country runner experiences the transcendent sensation of flying during a race, moving between competitive awareness and pure physical freedom.

Story·Alice Mar-Abe, age 11 — A girl's beloved neighborhood market closes, teaching her through the owner's wisdom about accepting change while cherishing memories.