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Story·Margaret Bryan, age 11 — During a winter drive to Prince Edward Island, thirteen-year-old Elsabeth becomes captivated by the color blue and its many shades while her family shares pomegranates.

Story·Sinnon Gonzalez, age 11 — A boy describes the wild freedom he feels on a roller coaster, contrasting his adventurous summer self with his serious school personality.

Poetry·Misha Kydd, age 12 — A reader finds refuge in a library chair by the window, where fictional battles of knights and dragons prove easier to face than real-world problems.

Poetry·Wujun Ke, age 13 — Dawn light travels through trees as birds find their perches and begin singing, while the speaker breathes in the ancient scents of maple and oak.

Poetry·Olivia Mulley — Dawn light travels through trees to open eyes as birds find their perches and begin singing, while ancient scents drift through an open window.

Story·Rachael Goddard Rebstein, age 12 — A boy navigates a sweltering forest, sensing danger and preparing to face a bear with his spear, until his mother's voice calling about homework breaks the spell.

Poetry·Claudia Celovsky, age 13 — A young sailor steers a boat with her grandmother, finding joy in both the physical sensations of sailing and the warmth of their connection.

Story·Brian Hoover, age 12 — A boy named Jake transforms into a werewolf under a blue moon in a clearing, surrounded by fleeing animals and supernatural lightning.

Story·Whitney Lee, age 12 — 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.

Poetry·Emily Riippa, age 13 — A solitary climber battles altitude and exhaustion on a snow-covered mountain, driven by determination to reach the summit and its promised view.