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Story·Sarah Heng Blackburn, age 11 — Eight-year-old Soon-Soon Wang flees Cultural Revolution China for America after her parents are taken by the government, leaving behind her best friend Xiao-Long.

Story·Rachel Schneck, age 10 — A wild African horse is captured, shipped to America, and passed between owners until she escapes during a film shoot and returns to freedom on the African plains.

Story·Erin Brock, age 13 — A puzzle-loving girl falls asleep on an unfinished jigsaw and wakes up inside it as a colonial farm girl, discovering she must complete the puzzle from within to escape.

Story·Christina Kells, age 12 — A twelve-year-old enslaved girl learns to read in secret, escapes to Massachusetts via the Underground Railroad, and becomes a teacher, reuniting with her childhood friend years later.

Story·Emma A. Lunbeck, age 12 — A city girl discovers freedom and friendship with wild-haired Robbie during a brief stay in the country, then must leave him behind.

Story·Nina Painter, age 12 — A girl who loves ocean life runs away from home during a hurricane, is rescued by dolphins, and learns to appreciate what she has.

Story·Susan Decker, age 9 — A girl reluctantly cleans her room instead of playing computer games, rediscovering lost toys and finding satisfaction in organizing her belongings.

Story·Kirsten Moon, age 13 — A girl visits her mother's grave before moving across the country, bringing roses and struggling to say goodbye until a mysterious breeze brings comfort.

Story·Nikki Morse, age 12 — A girl tries to steal a golden model dog from a country store but is stopped by a persistent puppy who becomes her real treasure instead.

Poetry·Elizabeth Sughrue, age 7 — A child resists bedtime, drawn to the night sounds of peepers, owls, and frogs, until finally answering their mother's last call.