nature

Story·Meredith Allen, age 12 — Two bored suburban kids venture into the swamp seeking a legendary hermit, encounter an alligator, and are saved by the very man they sought.

Story·Valerie Gill, age 13 — During a power outage, a girl discovers her computer mysteriously working and receives cryptic messages about Earth, humanity as parasites, and her role in learning everything.

Story·Jack Mesich — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then saves them from a grass fire sparked by lightning, losing one cub before finding her again.

Story·Fiona Cull, age 11 — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then must rescue them from a lightning-sparked grassfire that threatens their den.

Story·Lia C, age 13 — A girl sneaks out at dawn to visit her secret berry patch, where she reflects on how she's grown since moving from Florida, like berries ripening from green to black.

Story·Ben Guarino, age 11 — A seven-year-old searching for snakes in his backyard encounters a timber rattlesnake that bites him when he moves too suddenly, leading to hospitalization.

Story·Pace Ellsworth, age 13 — A tiger stalks and kills an antelope, then discovers his cached prey has been disturbed by strange new creatures with vehicles, marking his first encounter with humans.

Poetry·Sarah Dougherty, age 11 — A lightning bug carries the speaker's low spirit through gardens and town, returning it lit up and peaceful for a summer night's sleep.

Story·Sarah Casserly Marcus, age 11 — A girl who dreads summer camp discovers a magical clearing with purple flowers and a marble statue, finding friendship and self-discovery at Camp Renaissance.

Story·Julia Echternach, age 12 — Two sisters defy their mother's rules about a tire swing, then spend an afternoon picking berries at a neighbor's farm, savoring summer's simple freedoms.