emotional depth

Story·Alexandra Plombon, age 12 — An African boy witnesses his mother's sacrifice when colonial soldiers raid their village, discovering that true bravery sometimes means choosing not to fight.

Story·Elia Smith, age 11 — A fashion-conscious ten-year-old chooses a fancy dress for a family gathering, then watches from the sidelines until she decides playing with cousins matters more than looking perfect.

Story·Sawyer McCloskey, age 13 — A bullied boy runs away into the Canadian wilderness, survives alone for days, and discovers his supposedly dead father has been living in the forest after being kidnapped years ago.

Story·Evelyn Chen, age 13 — A teen reluctantly agrees to teach piano to her blind neighbor, confronting her own prejudices when the girl calls her out for treating her differently because of her disability.

Poetry·Rickza Kerr, age 11 — A Haitian-American adoptee imagines helping the world through kindness, reuniting families, and bridging the gap between her birth country and adoptive home.

Story·Edie Koehlert and Chloe Weber — Three young cats journey to find a new home after their dying mother sends them away, guided by their deceased father's cryptic message about believing in possibilities.

Story·Emma Peterson, age 11 — A girl receives her art school acceptance letter and struggles with leaving her mother and younger sister, ultimately deciding to pursue her dream after her sister's encouragement.

Story·Maisie Bilston, age 11 — An English girl grieving her father's death moves to Germany and creates a magical world in the apartment building's garden, finding friendship through imagination.

Story·Sadie Perkins, age 11 — A girl watches classmates bully an autistic student on the bus until a fifth-grader intervenes, transforming the entire bus culture with one act of courage.

Poetry·Alden Powers, age 12 — A speaker deliberately ignores the decay around them—dirty dishes, holes in walls, a broken fishbowl—because noticing would make it feel less like home.