January/February 2001

Story·Jack Mesich — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then saves them from a grass fire sparked by lightning, losing one cub before finding her again.

Book Review·Jennifer Holm, Reviewed by Kevin Zhou — Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm; HarperCollins Books: New York, 1999; $15.95 Close your eyes and imagine that you’re the only girl on the Nasel River in the state...

Story·Valerie Gill, age 13 — During a power outage, a girl discovers her computer mysteriously working and receives cryptic messages about Earth, humanity as parasites, and her role in learning everything.

Story·Tara Stroll, age 13 — A teenage trapper and his dog get lost in a Canadian blizzard, facing freezing water, injuries, and near-death before finding their way to safety.

Poetry·Laberije Shala, age 13 — A young refugee from Kosovo mourns her father's death, expressing the emptiness of life without him and her identity as an orphan who brings roses to his grave.

Story·Alex Mifflin, age 12 — A 12-year-old recounts his family's devastating car crash in Australia, his role as the only uninjured member, and their long recovery together.

Story·Peter Swegart, age 10 — A foster brother recalls two years with Jack, an orphan boy who arrived scared and angry but slowly learned to play, trust, and eventually found adoptive parents.

Story·Fiona Cull, age 11 — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then must rescue them from a lightning-sparked grassfire that threatens their den.

Story·Francisca Thomas, age 13 — A scarlet macaw recounts his life with a Cuban immigrant family in Florida, their separation during Hurricane Andrew, and their eventual reunion when he saves his young owner from an...

Story·Vanessa Coakley, age 12 — A grandmother tells her granddaughter about getting lost in a blizzard while buying a Christmas gift, finding shelter in their own barn, and mysteriously recovering the lost watch.