US Common Core ELA

Poetry·McKenzie Steury, age 11 — A girl walking on the beach discovers a baby turtle emerging from the sand and protects it from predators until it reaches the sea.

Poetry·Jinny Min, age 11 — A summer beach day builds from hot sand and waves to the moment of witnessing a spectacular sunset that leaves the observer speechless.

Poetry·Malin Moeller, age 11 — A meditation on how dreams distort time and memory, leaving only fragments and the physical evidence of restless sleep as proof of the night's passage.

Story·Jem Burch, age 13 — A family drives through Los Angeles on the Fourth of July, discovering multiple firework shows from the freeway and finally seeing the entire city lit up with distant explosions.

Poetry·Brooklyn Jeffcoat, age 12 — A young person captures the intensity of friendship through sensory snapshots — ice cream sweetness, rushing downstairs, laughing until breathless, then returning to solitude.

Story·Fiona Mulley, age 13 — A young actress playing Marmee in Little Women draws on her longing for her best friend who moved away to deliver a powerful performance on opening night.

Story·Kaidince Edwards, age 12 — A girl's dare to microwave a plastic fork at school coincides with an unrelated oven explosion, leading to evacuation and her eventual confession to the principal.

Story·Brian Qi, age 10 — A shy girl dreads her first rock-and-roll class until she discovers her best friend is there, transforming her terror into joy.

Poetry·Solana Ordonez, age 11 — A young musician celebrates the daily joy of orchestra class, from unpacking instruments to playing together as an ensemble creating harmonious music.

Story·Heather Tompkins, age 12 — A bilingual American girl in Mexico refuses to speak English with friends for years, splitting herself in two until a Tae Kwon Do class forces her to confront her divided...