US Common Core ELA
— Observers watch cockatoos cross water at dusk, counting them like stars as they journey from hiding places to trees beyond, ending with a rebellious teenager bird.
— A girl dreams of descending through ocean layers to encounter a mysterious jellyfish, then wakes to ordinary life while harboring her grandfather's secret journal of undiscovered sea creatures.
— A mute girl who finds solace in nature befriends a mountain cat family, discovers she can communicate telepathically with them, and runs away from her divorcing parents who plan to...
— A mute girl who finds solace in nature discovers she can communicate telepathically with a mountain cat, then runs away when her divorcing parents abandon her.
— During a summer visit to China, a girl who hates bugs learns from her butterfly-loving aunt to see the beauty and purpose in all living things.
— A girl who hates bugs learns to care for butterflies with her aunt in China, discovering that all life has meaning and purpose.
— A girl flees anger and homework to climb her beloved tree, where rough bark and height transform fury into tears and finally clarity.
— A basketball player reflects on how the game remains constant from third grade through high school, despite physical changes and growing skill.
— During a sixth-grade math test, a perfectionist student spirals into panic until a photo of her baby cousin reminds her that love doesn't depend on being perfect.
— A five-year-old battles wind and waves in a canoe during an Adirondack storm, discovering strength and joy amid the chaos.