friendship

Story·Juli Hiramatsu, age 11 — A spotless leopard breaks her promise not to eat monkeys, gains spots as punishment, and must apologize to her friend to restore both her fur and friendship.

Story·Ellie Wang, age 9 — A cat named Mayhem creates a magical name-guessing game in a water glass to find a new owner after her beloved human dies, testing each person's true character.

Story·Zoe Kijak, age 11 — A girl who never backs down from a challenge breaks her arm climbing the neighborhood's tallest tree during a game of Truth or Dare she wasn't supposed to play.

Story·Lydia Young, age 11 — Four friends venture through Star Forest to save the Tree of Life from the Eternal Cloud of Doom, discovering Mother Nature needs help protecting the environment.

Story·Judy Chen, age 13 — On the first day of sixth grade, a studious boy partners with a new girl for a math competition, then awkwardly defends classmates from bullies.

Personal Narrative·Kelly Chan, age 11 — During a science class discussion, Kelly's fear of speaking up becomes overwhelming when asked to explain her answer about a frozen water bottle.

Poetry·Peter Shuster-Raizberg, age 7 — A seven-year-old celebrates love, water, teamwork, and endless fun in a brief, exuberant poem that reads like a joyful chant.

Personal Narrative·Sonia Teodorescu, age 13 — A girl labeled 'alien' by her friend for her waterproof hair and quirks observes the equally strange behaviors of everyone around her at what seems to be a summer camp.

Story·Chamonix Fernandes, age 11 — A World War II veteran visits his best friend's grave, triggering memories of the day Joseph died saving him in a jungle ambush.

Story·Charlotte Moore, age 12 — A lonely girl exploring a castle during a field trip gets trapped in a closet and meets Jane, a mysterious servant girl who wants to be best friends forever.