September/October 2006

Story·Michael Scognamiglio, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old realizes his best friend and sister are falling for each other during a boat trip to a diner, then bikes to a neighbor's house seeking new friendship.

Poetry·Jennifer Hu, age 13 — A summer night in the fields where fireflies transform into earthbound stars, creating a moment where heaven and earth meet through tiny lights.

Story·Molly Morabito, age 11 — A girl discovers her passion for racing horses, wins local competitions with her horse Cherish, but during a crucial race, Cherish breaks her leg on a shortcut, ending both their...

Poetry·Julia Lipkis, age 12 — A meadow scene unfolds through precise natural imagery — wilting wildflowers, grazing deer, gossiping birds, and wind whispering secrets over bent corn.

Book Review·Paul Dowswell, Reviewed by Jackson Jaro — Powder Monkey, by Paul Dowswell; Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books: New York, 2005; $16.95 Imagine the fear of being blown to pieces at any minute! Thirteen-year-old Samuel Witchall constantly faced this...

Story·Bailey Bergmann, age 11 — A girl who desperately wants a golden retriever learns to love the Irish setter she receives instead after they win an agility competition together.

Poetry·Katie Ferman, age 13 — A girl catches fireflies on a spring night, trying to contain their light in her hands before releasing them back to the darkness.

Story·William Gwaltney, age 10 — A girl searches for the perfect apple in her grandfather's orchard, remembering her grandmother who died last year, and discovers a new way forward through shared grief.

Poetry·Taylor Nelsen, age 11 — A red leaf falls from a tree in autumn twilight and becomes caught in a spider's web, their patterns intertwining in the dawn light.

Story·Caroline Lu, age 13 — After three years in Texas, a girl returns to North Carolina expecting everything unchanged, but discovers both she and her childhood friends have transformed while their bond endures.