US Common Core ELA

Story·Evelyn Chen, age 12 — Two cousins at a beach house share the same drowning nightmare, then follow a mysterious voice to rescue a seal trapped in a fishing net.

Story·Ethan Archibald, age 13 — A son profiles his mother, a Chinese immigrant who expresses herself through cooking, weaving together her Beijing childhood, American journey, and culinary mastery.

Story·Lily Hoelscher, age 13 — A girl having a terrible day meets a mysterious boy who shows her a hidden pond with lotus flowers growing from mud, teaching her about resilience.

Story·Eleanor M. Polak, age 11 — After her parents' death, Sarah moves from her strict aunt's house to live with elderly strangers in the country, finding unexpected warmth and belonging.

Poetry·Daniel Fawcett, age 12 — A young person reflects on feeling different and alone despite family love, finding solace in writing and stories while navigating an uncertain world.

Story·Ellanora Lerner, age 12 — A volunteer meal deliverer meets an elderly man who asks her to write about his deceased son so he'll be remembered, then receives the son's funeral tape after the father...

Story·Katherine Tung, age 11 — A seven-year-old Taiwanese immigrant girl chases a boy who steals her five-dollar bill at the market, learning hard lessons about trust and resilience in her new country.

Story·Catherine Chung, age 10 — After her dog is killed in a storm, a girl runs to their secret creek hideout to grieve, where her mother finds and comforts her.

Story·Rachel Barglow, age 10 — Two friends race coconuts down a sandy hill during a beach campfire, forgetting to mark which coconut belongs to whom, leading to a playful argument.

Poetry·Hannah Mark, age 12 — A canoe journey down a river becomes a catalog of sensory impressions — from burbling water to wild mint to watchful eagles — preserved as memory.