humor

Personal Narrative·Yanling Lin, age 10 — A school field trip continues despite torrential rain, leaving students soaked and miserable until they finally return to school after doing nothing but stand in the downpour.

Poetry·Benjamin Ding, age 9 — Thirteen playful poems explore opposites, paradoxes, wordplay, and environmental concerns through a child's inventive lens, ending with a critique of materialism versus nature.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — A girl tries to become like her perfect classmate Stella by copying her activities, but discovers her own talents and identity along the way.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — 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.

Poetry·Rainer Pasca, age 14 — 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.'

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — Swifty navigates hip-hop classes, failed auditions, a new baby brother, and friendship drama while discovering drums and cutting her hair for charity.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — Swifty Appledoe, jealous of perfect classmate Stella, decides to become just like her by taking violin and ballet lessons, with disastrous but ultimately triumphant results.

Story·Rose Amer, age 10 — A girl who hates her ugliness wishes on a star to bring her stone gargoyle to life, then learns through painful transformations that she was already beautiful.

Story·Dana Yehia, age 8 — An alien from planet Watercolors dreams of being an explorer, builds his own spaceship to visit Earth, and ends up copying everything humans say because he doesn't speak English.

Story·Analise Braddock, age 8 — Four short fables explore consequences: a classroom prank gone wrong, a misdirected letter, celestial bodies in conflict, and a girl's persistent belief she can fly.