father

Story·Harper Miller, age 11 — During a Texas drought, 11-year-old Ayita discovers her community's water crisis and organizes a grassroots effort to save dying plants while navigating life with her distant father.

Story·Allison Stadd, age 12 — A girl struggling with writer's block finds inspiration in memories of her late father and writes through the night, discovering she's already won by making the effort.

Poetry·Bradley Culley, age 11 — A boy's first hunting trip with his father becomes a moment of moral reckoning when he shoots a deer and collapses under the weight of what he's done.