loneliness

Story·Eleanor M. Polak, age 11 — After her parents' death, Sarah moves from her strict aunt's house to live with elderly strangers in the country, finding unexpected warmth and belonging.

Poetry·Daniel Fawcett, age 12 — A young person reflects on feeling different and alone despite family love, finding solace in writing and stories while navigating an uncertain world.

Story·Ellanora Lerner, age 12 — A volunteer meal deliverer meets an elderly man who asks her to write about his deceased son so he'll be remembered, then receives the son's funeral tape after the father...

Story·Isabel Stronski, age 12 — After her mother's death, a girl moves to a farm with her father and encounters an old woman who tends a single bean plant, her only inheritance from her late...

Story·Karina Emilia Palmitesta — Two friends lying under an oak tree share funny memories until one asks if the other remembers how their friendship began, triggering a flashback to third grade.

Story·Joanna Calogero, age 13 — An elderly doll shop owner facing eviction finds a lottery ticket after a mysterious encounter with a homeless child who may or may not have been real.