authentic voice
— A girl tries to become like her perfect classmate Stella by copying her activities, but discovers her own talents and identity along the way.
— A girl navigates the birth of her baby brother, student council elections, and self-discovery while trying to become popular by imitating her perfect classmate.
— After a fire destroys their farm's crops and orchard, Oscar must decide whether to sell his beloved foal Rose to help his family survive the winter.
— A refugee girl from Tanzania navigates teasing about her weekly hairstyle at her Chicago school, finding resilience through friends' support and creative problem-solving.
— A teen searches Craigslist for a bike with a diagonal bar that defies gender categories, settling on one labeled 'women's' despite their preferences.
— A thirteen-year-old questions the contradiction between flinching at physical closeness and yearning for connection, wondering if intimacy is possible without touch.
— At 4 AM, a girl reads a beloved book while reflecting on how beauty and peace persist alongside the pandemic's ongoing tragedy.
— A writer with writer's block finds inspiration when their cat Rumi jumps on the table, transforming frustration into affectionate verse about the purring 'king of gold.'
— A New York City boy gets permission to go outside alone for the first time, gets lost, and must find his way home using the subway.
— Swifty navigates hip-hop classes, failed auditions, a new baby brother, and friendship drama while discovering drums and cutting her hair for charity.