US Common Core ELA

Poetry·Sophia Famolari, age 9 — A poem traces a plant's journey from sprout breaking through soil to flower blooming in sunlight, celebrating each stage of growth.

Personal Narrative·Teresa He, age 11 — A girl recalls three years of observing squirrels, rabbits, and birds from her Illinois home's windows before returning to China.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 10 — A child vows to keep a secret forever, measuring that promise against apocalyptic visions of environmental destruction and the end of the world.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 10 — A young poet explores cosmic scale through parallel structures, contrasting the singular (one mind, one world) with the multiple (thousand eyes, thousand hearts).

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 10 — A disembodied perspective from a ditch observes the world above—sun, sky, ladybugs—while grass grows wild around what remains.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 10 — A young poet stands with open hands, waiting to receive rain, life, and all the world's green until only she remains in eternal readiness.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 10 — A child observes others who seem to contain multitudes while affirming her own singular self—one soul, one mind, one heart against the night's thousand stars.

Story·Maayan Mardiks-Rappaport, age 10 — A child sits alone in a forest clearing, imagining mushrooms whispering comfort, then floats with a friend to an imaginary world of happiness surrounded by nature.

Story·Ellen Wu, age 7 — A child chasing fireflies discovers a magical tree hollow that transports her to space, where she collects gold to help her friend who fears darkness.

Poetry·Emily Yen, age 11 — A young writer captures the moment of creative paralysis before inspiration strikes, celebrating words as 'lines of grace' that bring thought to life.