pets

Poetry·Abigail D'Agosta, age 12 — A chicken investigates a strange furry creature through the coop wire, stretching its neck cautiously before pecking the cat's ear.

Story·Shyla DeLand, age 11 — After a weasel kills her beloved rooster Cocky, a girl struggles with guilt over loving a new chick until her mother helps her understand that loving again doesn't betray the...

Story·Kira Householder, age 11 — A girl secretly cares for a wolf in the woods, sneaking out at night to bring him food, until a forest fire takes his life and she discovers he left...

Poetry·Vincenzo Ruggiero, age 13 — A boy describes his after-school routine with his dog Bella, from her greeting at the window to playing fetch, bath time, and bedtime.

Story·Kaley Birchfield, age 11 — A volunteer at a goat farm becomes attached to a sickly newborn goat she names Barney, nurses him to health, then must find him a loving home when he's sold.

Story·Montanna Harling, age 13 — A lonely girl who spends afternoons in the forest rescues a drowning kitten from the river and finds the friend she's been missing.

Poetry·Katherine Shock, age 12 — Morning light filters through as a girl and her cat share a quiet moment of connection, curling together in the gray-gold dawn.

Story·Claire Mao, age 10 — A seven-year-old in Shanghai receives a pet rabbit as a gift, but after two weeks of joy, the rabbit dies the night before the family must travel.

Story·Carrie Merhout, age 10 — A lonely ranch girl discovers a stray silver cat in the barn, secretly feeds it, and eventually adopts it when the cat needs help giving birth to kittens.

Story·Catherine Chung, age 10 — After her dog is killed in a storm, a girl runs to their secret creek hideout to grieve, where her mother finds and comforts her.