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Story·Ellen Salovaara, age 13 — A young woman preparing for her wedding remembers her father's death when she was eight and realizes she must let go without forgetting as she asks her mother to walk...

Story·Stella Lin, age 12 — A dog named Hua Hua remembers playing in the park with Sarah before her illness, now keeping watch as she lies in bed, no longer able to go outside.

Story·Mackenzie Crum, age 10 — A girl daydreams about owning a pony she can't afford until her struggling parents surprise her with the horse, strengthening their family bond across generations.

Poetry·Brooklyn Jeffcoat, age 12 — A young person captures the intensity of friendship through sensory snapshots — ice cream sweetness, rushing downstairs, laughing until breathless, then returning to solitude.

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·Scott Limbacher, age 10 — An orphan boy expecting wealthy adoptive parents on Christmas Eve discovers his new family is poor but learns they offer something more valuable than material gifts.

Poetry·Laberije Shala, age 13 — A young refugee from Kosovo mourns her father's death, expressing the emptiness of life without him and her identity as an orphan who brings roses to his grave.

Story·Peter Swegart, age 10 — A foster brother recalls two years with Jack, an orphan boy who arrived scared and angry but slowly learned to play, trust, and eventually found adoptive parents.

Poetry·Mark Roberts, age 10 — A boy at boarding school writes to his father about missing their everyday rituals and recognizing the sacrifices his father makes driving long hours to work.

Poetry·Mark Roberts, age 10 — A boy remembers his grandmother through the landscape she loved — hot air balloons, hilltop trees, vineyards — and the moment of scattering her ashes.