January 2020

Artwork·Anya Geist

Poetry·Sabrina Guo, age 13 — A meditation on cultural superstitions connects Greek pomegranate-smashing with Chinese number symbolism, finding meaning in how misfortune creates possibility for renewal.

Story·Elyse Bambrough, age 7 — In a world of trash and rain, a child builds a forest from discarded materials, creating tigers and toucans from tin, though the colorless creation leaves them longing.

Artwork·Sage Millen

Artwork·Cathy Tu

Artwork·Daania Sharifi —   Daania Sharifi, 13 Gainesville, VA

Story·Ava Isabella Angeles, age 11 — Three children discover they've been trapped in a virtual reality 'perfect world' experiment since infancy and must escape with help from a psychologist's daughter.

Poetry·Mazzi Maycotte, age 10 — A tree enjoys the rain but feels lonely when no children come out to play, wishing it could walk and talk like humans.

Artwork·Filomena Bertucci

Poetry·Mazzi Maycotte, age 10 — A child crosses rivers, lakes, and mountains to reach school, only to be invisible in the classroom—unseen, unheard, like a ghost.