strong opening
— On her eleventh birthday, a girl reluctantly plays baseball with a younger neighbor, accidentally hits him with a line drive, and learns about forgiveness when he immediately wants to keep...
— A ten-year-old Sioux boy participates in his first buffalo hunt, kills the largest buffalo in the herd, and earns his adult name, Buffalo Spirit.
— A young violinist overcomes nerves to audition with Vivaldi's Winter, wins a competition, and performs at Seattle's Benaroya Hall on the first day of winter.
— After losing her arm in a car accident, Kate struggles with depression until a voice teacher helps her discover singing as a new way to make music.
— A boy who hates animals after being bitten volunteers at a shelter and discovers the same German shepherd who bit him seven years ago, leading to forgiveness and adoption.
— A girl named Adrin strikes a dangerous bargain with Beta, a wolf who killed her father, agreeing to retrieve a magical owl diadem within eight days or forfeit her life.
— A girl's racehorse Royal Blue faces his rival King of the Wind in the Kentucky Derby, with tensions rising when the rival's exercise rider becomes the jockey.
— A girl chosen as a dragon sacrifice discovers that her brother's lily hair clip, given as a farewell gift, becomes the weapon that defeats the beast.
— During a sailing race with a $100 prize, a boy gives up certain victory to help his friend win the money for his dying father's medical care.
— A girl afraid of dogs since childhood overcomes her fear to rescue a stray on Christmas Eve, convincing her family to adopt him as their annual charity project.