illness
— A girl with a sore throat communicates through charades with her sister, discovering that laughter and connection transcend words.
— After a botched surgery leaves her unable to walk, a former track star undergoes a second operation and fights through recovery to run again.
— A deaf girl named Shira, isolated from her musical family, discovers her artistic talent and creates a fundraising campaign for Haiti earthquake victims through her paintings.
— Laughter becomes a cool glass of water that offers temporary escape from homework, hospital visits, and the weight of the real world.
— A deaf girl who resents her church organist for being able to hear discovers an unexpected friendship when asked to turn pages during a memorial service performance.
— After losing her arm in a car accident, Kate struggles with depression until a voice teacher helps her discover singing as a new way to make music.
— During a sailing race with a $100 prize, a boy gives up certain victory to help his friend win the money for his dying father's medical care.
— A quiet moment between a girl and her aging, sick dog captures the tenderness of caring for a beloved pet nearing the end.
— A competitive swimmer struggles with body image after overhearing teammates discuss restrictive eating, until a teammate's collapse at a meet forces her to reconsider her choices.
— A second-grader's world shifts when her beloved teacher announces his retirement, sending her through grief, illness, and eventual acceptance over the course of a school year.