nature

Poetry·Eily A. Chiu, age 9 — A child greets morning in a garden filled with roosters, geese, flowers, and a brook, experiencing each element as a gift from the natural world.

Personal Narrative·Olivia Choi, age 12 — A five-year-old devastated by her family's move from California to New York City gradually discovers unexpected joys in her new home, including Central Park and snow.

Poetry·Daniel Shorten, age 10 — A winter morning bird-feeding ritual captures the urgency of survival as small birds race to eat before crows arrive from the chimneys.

Personal Narrative·Noa McCarter, age 8 — After hitting his first double, a boy finds a rare goldfinch feather, loses it, then recovers it days later for his collection.

Personal Narrative·Michael Chao, age 13 — A boy rescues two abandoned baby hummingbirds from a tennis court and raises them by hand, learning to feed and care for them until they're ready to return to the...

Poetry·Sonia Teodorescu, age 13 — Light and shadow, seasons and elements carry memories through abandoned spaces—a house no longer lived in, paths no longer walked, games no longer played.

Poetry·Benjamin Romano, age 10 — A child sits on a dock at sunset, watching boats bob and waves crash, finding peace in the transition from day to night.

Poetry·Necla Asveren, age 12 — After humanity reaches for the stars and drowns in riches, survivors emerge from bunkers to find a transformed world with golden moons and purple grass.

Story·Eileen Yoo, age 12 — A girl follows a mysterious fox with blue eyes through the forest at midnight to discover a magical meadow where animals can communicate.

Story·Juli Hiramatsu, age 11 — A spotless leopard breaks her promise not to eat monkeys, gains spots as punishment, and must apologize to her friend to restore both her fur and friendship.