memory

Story·Mandana Nakhai, age 11 — Twin siblings reminisce on their last night at a summer lake house, discovering through shared memories that their 'boring' summer was actually filled with adventures.

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.

Story·Vanessa Coakley, age 12 — A grandmother tells her granddaughter about getting lost in a blizzard while buying a Christmas gift, finding shelter in their own barn, and mysteriously recovering the lost watch.

Story·Naomi Rowsell, age 12 — A girl recalls weekly trips with her father to meet the Nordic Express freight boat, sharing quiet moments of connection through held hands and vending machine treats.

Story·Joshua Maclean, age 13 — A son remembers his father's devotion through baseball games, lucky charms, and math lessons, then chronicles his battle with ALS and the lasting impact of his loss.

Poetry·Alice Baumgartner, age 12 — Sensory memories of a Mardi Gras dinner trigger vivid recollections of sounds, tastes, and a game of Truth or Dare on an unseasonably warm February evening.

Story·Zhang He, age 11 — A girl selling oranges at a Chinese market warns customers her fruit is sour, then runs after them to return their change, teaching a lesson about honesty.

Story·Rachel Johnson, age 13 — A Cuban-American boy finds solace and identity through a secret friendship with a bull after his grandmother's death, defying his assimilated family.

Story·Cameron Mckeich, age 11 — A boy returns to his late grandfather's wilderness farm for the first time since his death, finding solace when sunlight breaks through storm clouds onto a magnolia tree.

Story·Anna Hagen, age 11 — A girl who was found on a beach as a baby discovers through a magical conch shell that she was rescued by whales after her parents' ship capsized.