US Common Core ELA

Story·Liana K. Gonsalves, age 13 — A girl invites her pen pal Isabella to her family's beach cottage for a weekend, but tension arises when her best friend calls, leading to a dangerous midnight rescue during...

Story·Arjun Pillai Hausner, age 12 — A kind cow helps a rhino and a bird in the forest, and when a tiger threatens her, they return the favor by rescuing her together.

Poetry·Genna Carroll, age 13 — After a week of camping, a girl appreciates indoor comforts — shower, pillows, warmth — until she realizes she misses the stars that were her companions outdoors.

Story·Shyla DeLand, age 10 — A girl's beloved hunting dog Fern is fatally injured and crawls away to die among the sweet ferns, where a mysterious pink flower later blooms.

Story·Isabel Won, age 11 — A brother and sister have a water gun fight on a hot day while their parents are out, ending when the sister gets too cold and the brother makes her...

Story·Mary Jessica Woods, age 13 — A first-person account of racehorse Zenyatta's historic Breeder's Cup Classic victory, narrated from the horse's perspective as she comes from behind to win.

Story·Eve Driver, age 13 — During a thunderstorm, a thirteen-year-old searches for his younger brother who ran away after a cruel argument, finding him at the tree where their parents met.

Story·Genna Carroll, age 13 — While packing to move, a teenager discovers a story she wrote at age nine that eerily predicts her current situation of leaving her childhood room.

Story·Freya Trefonides, age 12 — A teenager watches her four-year-old cousin Rose repeatedly climb things she shouldn't, capturing a perfect photo of Rose in her special apple tree before realizing this moment might be forgotten.

Story·Ryan Kearns, age 12 — A family takes their cancer-stricken dog Maddy to her beloved beach one last time, where she briefly finds the strength to play before being put to sleep the next day.