vivid characters

Story·Sonja Skye Wooley, age 12 — Two young scientists searching for Atlantis in the Pacific get caught in a storm, crash on an uncharted island, and discover the lost city underwater just offshore.

Story·Gracie Shapiro, age 12 — A girl searches for her grandfather and together they engineer a tree swing using a bow and arrow to get the rope over a high branch.

Story·Ermeen Choudhury, age 12 — A girl forced to move from her beloved bedroom runs into the woods, where blue jays sing a song that helps her understand home is carried in memory.

Story·Caelen McQuilkin, age 13 — A soccer star learns the meaning of ohana when her artistic best friend joins the team and struggles, forcing her to choose between winning and friendship.

Story·Elia Smith, age 11 — A fashion-conscious ten-year-old chooses a fancy dress for a family gathering, then watches from the sidelines until she decides playing with cousins matters more than looking perfect.

Story·Sawyer McCloskey, age 13 — A bullied boy runs away into the Canadian wilderness, survives alone for days, and discovers his supposedly dead father has been living in the forest after being kidnapped years ago.

Story·Evelyn Chen, age 13 — A teen reluctantly agrees to teach piano to her blind neighbor, confronting her own prejudices when the girl calls her out for treating her differently because of her disability.

Story·Maisie Bilston, age 11 — An English girl grieving her father's death moves to Germany and creates a magical world in the apartment building's garden, finding friendship through imagination.

Story·Sadie Perkins, age 11 — A girl watches classmates bully an autistic student on the bus until a fifth-grader intervenes, transforming the entire bus culture with one act of courage.

Story·Samantha Cecil, age 12 — A first-year camper faces her fears during a freezing lake swim test, battling panic and cold water to earn her swimming privileges at camp.