authentic voice
— A Japanese boy falls into a creek chasing his lost shoe and discovers from a wise turtle that he has the magical ability to breathe underwater.
— A girl reflects on her bond with her rescued dog as he sleeps in her lap, remembering their difficult first day together and recognizing their mutual need.
— A girl remembers her terror at starting preschool as she prepares to leave for college, finding her mother crying on her bed in a reversal of their old roles.
— A grieving teenager from New Jersey struggles to adjust to life with her aunt in Alabama until a chance encounter at a lighthouse during a storm offers unexpected comfort.
— A girl traces her understanding of the Iraq War through three encounters: her aunt's photos, a returned care package marked DECEASED, and her grandmother holding a soldier's boots.
— A boy visiting Nicaragua is confronted by child street vendors and gives his souvenir money to a five-year-old selling flowers outside a restaurant.
— A nine-year-old tennis player, forced to retire from a match due to knee injury, transforms despair into determination while watching rain turn to rainbow from her bedroom window.
— A German Shepherd named Jack leaves his Connecticut family to serve as a scout dog in WWII Morocco, saves soldiers' lives, and returns home changed but loved.
— 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.
— 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...