parents

Story·Phoebe Donovan — A man traveling with his critical mother to his grandfather's funeral confronts their conflicting views on success and happiness when a flight delay forces them to share a hotel room.

Story·Terry Yu — An overweight girl faces bullying at school, finds solace in her mother's love, and discovers inner strength through a mysterious birthday letter that transforms her perspective.

Story·Lindsay Gale, age 9 — After a math homework fight with her father, a girl runs away to the woods but discovers survival is harder than her books suggested, returning home by morning.

Personal Narrative·Emerson Dennis, age 11 — A third-grader accidentally leaves class early, cries from embarrassment, then months later agonizes over whether her teacher will mention it at parent-teacher conferences.

Story·Myiesha Jain, age 11 — A girl climbs a hill at sunset to throw a pebble into the sky for her dead mother, then returns to an empty house and her absent father's note.

Story·Anya Geist, age 14 — A girl raised in the Land of the Clouds dreams of her forgotten parents on Earth, while learning about a prophecy and the dangerous Organization to Control Time.

Story·Fiona Clare Altschuler, age 11 — Poor mouse twins receive a visit from the wealthy royal family, whose scorn prompts their mother to declare she's richer in joy than they are in gold.

Story·Michelle Byers, age 13 — During COVID lockdown, a mother and son each make wishes on matching copper bracelets that transport them through time, teaching them what they've taken for granted.

Personal Narrative·Gregory Scott, age 10 — A boy struggles with writer's block on a memoir assignment until his family's support helps him realize he's been living the story he needs to write.

Story·Anonymous — A hungry five-year-old boy unknowingly reports his parents for treason to a dystopian government in exchange for candy, not understanding what he's done.