strong opening

Story·Andrew Lorraine, age 13 — A Black doctor arrives in 1960s rural Pennsylvania to take over a practice, faces racist vandalism and rejection, then gains acceptance after rescuing a white child from a well.

Story·Hannah Postel, age 12 — An actor playing Romeo navigates pre-show tension with her Juliet, finding reconciliation and deeper understanding of her character through performance.

Story·Lauren Tompkins, age 11 — An eleven-year-old volunteers at an animal shelter, saves kittens from a fire started by another volunteer, and earns a shy tabby named Trust.

Story·Emma Kilgore Hine, age 12 — When knights leave for battle, a noble girl who dreams of heroism must defend her castle from enemy attack, proving herself as the warrior she longs to be.

Story·Annam Nayak, age 12 — A young man who can speak to birds is banished by his father after revealing an unwelcome prophecy, but returns years later wealthy and wise, fulfilling the birds' prediction.

Story·Samantha Cecil, age 10 — A nerdy seventh-grader wishes on a shooting star to be popular, and when a tough new girl arrives at school, his life unexpectedly changes through their forced partnership.

Story·Julia Duchesne, age 13 — A boy discovers his natural rock-climbing talent during a family vacation, then faces his first real test when his sister's life hangs in the balance on a Greek cliff.

Story·Casey Tolan, age 11 — A young thief steals a sacred necklace to pay for his father's doctor, but when an innocent girl faces execution for his crime, he must choose between saving her life...

Story·Mariel Dempster — A girl sent to an Italian convent school to stop her from painting secretly learns from an old man in the town plaza and ultimately convinces her mother to let...

Story·Elena Tennant, age 11 — A seventh-grader befriends a new Muslim student and successfully advocates to the school board for her right to wear a hijab after their teacher bans it.