emotional depth

Story·Zhang He, age 12 — A girl falsely accuses her best friend of stealing her birthday watch, destroys their friendship, then discovers the watch under her bed months later.

Story·Marie Agnello, age 12 — A twelve-year-old discovers seventy-five letters from 1919-1923 between her great-grandmother and a French pen pal, Cécile, who died at age twenty.

Poetry·Alexa Bryn, age 11 — A granddaughter observes her grandfather's dementia, as Holocaust memories resurface while present moments fade, yet his gentle spirit and their bond remain intact.

Story·Lyra Mulhern, age 13 — A girl's special day with her father is interrupted when he brings home an abused horse, and she discovers her calling in helping the animal heal.

Story·Eve Asher, age 10 — A girl swimmer fights back when a new coach declares girls aren't good enough for competitive swimming, leading her teammates to crash the boys' tryouts and prove him wrong.

Story·Liz Reeves, age 12 — A high-achieving student preparing for a prestigious science program rediscovers her abandoned passion for dance when an application asks what she's passionate about.

Story·Tran Nguyen, age 13 — During a dinner of liver and broccoli, a girl dreams she travels to Depression-era Berlin and wartime Vietnam, witnessing hungry children fighting over scraps.

Story·Katrina Sondermann, age 12 — A daughter and father bond over an Avalanche-Blues playoff game in enemy territory, their first real connection after twelve years of distance.

Story·Tania Karas, age 12 — A girl watches her cousin Rebecca cling to hope that her divorced father will return, even after he attempts to kidnap her and robs a bank.

Poetry·Mark Roberts, age 11 — An 11-year-old holds his baby brother for the first time, contemplating the transfer of childhood wonder from one generation to the next.