animals

Story·Julia Gaitley, age 12 — A girl at an aquarium loses her older brother while daydreaming about seals' freedom, then finds comfort in a wandering turtle while waiting to be found.

Story·Julia Clow and Olivia Smit, age 12 — A human baby raised by wolves discovers her true identity when hunters threaten her wolf family, ultimately choosing to live with humans while maintaining her wolf bonds.

Story·Jacob E. Gerszten, age 11 — An 11-year-old's educational vacation to Tanzania introduces him to Maasai guide Simon, local customs, and the tiny dik-dik antelope, challenging his American perspective.

Story·Noa Wang, age 11 — A girl gets lost in the forest at dusk and follows a mysterious great horned owl through the darkness back to her parents' campsite.

Poetry·Kayla Walsh, age 13 — A young writer celebrates the simple pleasures of a family camp by a lake—sailboats, loons, hammocks, and the feeling of being protected from the world.

Story·Mary Woods, age 12 — A scrappy urban fox survives by scavenging until a train accident lands him in an animal shelter, where he's healed and released into a forest home.

Story·Hannah Culver, age 12 — A girl terrified of dogs after being bitten rescues an injured stray, only to discover he belongs to someone else, leading to an unexpected friendship.

Story·Lulu Russell, age 11 — A sparrow flees a hunting hawk through forest branches in a desperate chase, then the perspective shifts to reveal the hawk's necessity of feeding its young.

Story·Olivia Smit, age 12 — A captive cheetah dreams of freedom while watching his brothers die from starvation, until a woman rescues him and returns him to the African savannah.

Poetry·Olivia Smit, age 12 — A red fox crosses dewy ground at dawn, joined by his mate and kits who play in wet grass before vanishing, leaving only footprints as proof.