identity
— An alien's confused observations of human life, mixing up body parts and behaviors based on misunderstood information from 'a piece of paper.'
— A young writer describes the physical and emotional sensations of writing, from smoothness to nervousness to the monstrous feeling of being stuck.
— Seventh graders torment a new student who attends class via video call, only to discover she has a disability when she finally arrives in person.
— A seventh-grader who loves baking in a family that doesn't understand him proves his worth by making extraordinary brownies that win them over.
— A girl reflects on eating chicken in China and at home, connecting the meals to her birth year of the rooster and what traditions mean across cultures.
— A basketball player reflects on how the game remains constant from third grade through high school, despite physical changes and growing skill.
— A child traces identity from birth through curiosity and danger to the sadness of moving away, wondering if they'll return to have fun again.
— A young traveler boards a Beijing-to-Shenzhen train, befriends a three-year-old girl named Yang Han, sketches her portrait, and reflects on connection across the journey.
— A bilingual American girl in Mexico refuses to speak English with friends for years, splitting herself in two until a Tae Kwon Do class forces her to confront her divided...
— A Mexican-American girl's nursing school dreams seem crushed by poverty until her cantankerous neighbor unexpectedly offers to pay her college tuition.