change

Poetry·Pauline McAndrew — A mixed-race teenager rejects the 'café au lait' metaphor others use, claiming instead the power of being a thunderstorm where opposing forces create energy and change.

Poetry·Katja Muckle Eizenberg — A sunflower narrates its life cycle from bloom to seed dispersal, watching its seeds fly away to freedom before entering winter's sleep.

Personal Narrative·Micki Mermelstein, age 11 — Alone at her family's Country House, once filled with cousins' laughter, an 11-year-old reflects on how growing up has emptied the summer gathering place of its magic.

Personal Narrative·Ella Fu — A third grader reflects on her growth over the school year, recognizing changes in maturity, self-discipline, and confidence in standing up to bullies.

Story·Clara Gluzdov — A cat named Ivy wishes to become human to play piano with her beloved owner Dahlia, but when her wish comes true, she discovers the painful cost of transformation and...

Poetry·Saketh Lingisetty — A vacuum becomes a metaphor for life's unpredictable forces, pulling us toward unexpected paths while dandelions spread their seeds against the current.

Story·Emory Lim — A field guide to endangered fairy species reveals how moonglow, willow, and honeybee fairies serve as keystone species in their ecosystems, calling for conservation action.

Poetry·Celia Chen — A speaker anxiously checks for signs of spring's arrival, moving from uncertainty to joyful confirmation as frost melts and soil awakens.

Story·Ellie Wang — A wizard searches for her broken wand, reconnects with her grandfather oak tree, and together they send dreams to humans to inspire forest conservation.

Story·Jaxton Goertzen — An alien student named Gooby finds a rare ancient coin that magically traps his hand in a fist, threatening his chance to become the first alien on the basketball team.