authentic voice
— A prince sent to find a bride falls for her brother instead, leading them to flee their kingdoms and establish a new land where love can flourish freely.
— A young violinist tours China with the Joyous String Ensemble, performing alongside master musicians while discovering how music can literally save lives and connect memories across time and place.
— A nocturnal tour through a small town captures the quiet life of buildings, objects, and creatures after dark, from creaking floorboards to a bobbing pond raft.
— A girl overcomes her fear of nightmares about people with disabilities when she befriends Kylie, a talented cellist with bionic arms, at music lessons.
— A girl encounters a juggle man who accuses her of theft, leading to police involvement and a litany of her supposed misdeeds.
— A travel writer who stopped traveling after his wife's death in a climbing accident has been faking his columns for years, until his niece discovers his secret.
— Five vignettes explore identity through hands, chess defeat, a berry tree, a letter to younger self, and meditation on the narrator's name.
— A girl realizes she's been bossing around her best friend, tries to apologize at recess but makes things worse, then helps reunite Alice with her lost dog.
— A girl feels like an alien at school, invisible until classmates realize her father is rich, then suddenly everyone wants to help her.
— A young person explores their fluid identity through the lens of being a girl, boy, or dragon on different days, ultimately choosing to be themselves.