Stone Soup Magazine
— An eleven-year-old meticulously plans to run away from her three younger brothers and endless family picnics, but when teenagers invade her hideout, she races home to find unexpected comfort.
— A young writer observes the creek behind her house, cataloging its life—fish, flowers, frogs—and recognizes it as her private world of peace.
— A fox hunts through moonlit woods, chases a rabbit to an unfamiliar farmhouse, narrowly escapes a human's gunshot, and limps home injured but determined.
— A bucking bronco narrates his life from birth to rodeo legend, revealing the fierce determination and isolation that define his existence as 'the fighter.'
— A girl befriends a mysterious beach companion with shimmering hair and strange abilities, discovering her true nature when caught in a dangerous current.
— A family drives through the night to grandparents' house after eviction, their old truck barely making it as a girl reflects on loss and uncertain futures.
— A young observer discovers the ocean's hidden music — from crashing waves to a tiny crab's clicking claws to shells clinking in the depths.
— At a dreaded family cottage, a teenage astronomy enthusiast meets an eccentric boy in mismatched clothes on a rock under the blue moon, finding unexpected connection.
— A young musician struggles with a trombone, from its mysterious case through spit-clogged frustration to the moment when instrument and player finally connect.
— A girl arrives at summer camp hopeful but becomes the target of exclusion, watching the group turn on different girls throughout the month.