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Poetry·Rafi Mohammed, age 10 — A lost red balloon travels the world searching for the child who let go, eventually finding freedom in Antarctica among millions of other balloons.

Poetry·Tatiana Rebecca Shrayer, age 9 — A father and daughter venture into the woods to craft a bow and arrows, transforming branches into instruments that sing and shoot arrows toward stars that scamper like foxes.

Poetry·Atlas William Iacobucci, age 9 — A surreal dream sequence where thunder and chaos transform New York City, ending with whale-like creatures becoming morning doves in the restored calm.

Poetry·Gabriel Levy, age 9 — A young writer describes the frustration of writer's block like drowning in lava and the relief of finding words like sleeping on a smooth waterfall.

Poetry·Angelina Lu, age 11 — A dreamlike poem where nothing and noone inhabit a valley of inverted colors and upside-down trees, until someone and everyone arrive to paint the sky with love.

Story·Julia Lockwood, age 12 — A girl who visits graves meets the ghost of Ada Lee Clemmons, an eleven-year-old who died in 1907, and realizes she's been keeping the forgotten child company.

Poetry·Dusty Gibbon, age 12 — A young poet captures New York City at night through vivid sensory images—scraggly trees, moonlight on curtains, flickering streetlamps—ending with the city caught in 'the tangled thicket of past importance.'

Story·Frances Brogan, age 11 — After her family cancels their annual carnival trip, an eleven-year-old runs away by bus to Lancaster, only to be immediately driven back home by her friend's mother.

Poetry·Nour Mokbel, age 11 — A walker observes the ocean at sunset, noting waves, seagulls, and the changing sky as day transforms into starry night.

Story·Una Dorr, age 11 — A boy terrified of heights must overcome his fear when his cat gets trapped on a crumbling 20th-floor balcony that locks behind him.