summer
— 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.
— A thirteen-year-old takes her first job picking strawberries, discovering the harsh realities of farm labor alongside workers from many cultures, especially the industrious Mennonites.
— A girl recalls summers at her family's Maine house, exploring tide pools and climbing Cannon Rock, where she collected sea glass and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist.
— A bored city girl visiting suburban relatives discovers every house has a blonde girl shooting baskets, then becomes trapped in the conformist nightmare herself.
— Three cousins rowing to a Maine lighthouse are caught in a sudden storm, their boat capsizes, and they barely make it to shore alive.
— A prose poem traces summer wind through sensory moments — sweet taste, ruffled hair, fireflies — until winter arrives and only memory remains.
— A reluctant soccer player is forced to play halfback instead of her usual defense position and scores the game-winning goal, discovering she belongs there.
— Ellen struggles with the end of sixth grade as half her classmates leave for different schools, but finds peace by reconnecting with a friend who's staying.
— A boy complaining about chores falls asleep and wakes in the past where he must work on a farm, learning to appreciate modern conveniences.
— A boy's dream summer with the Yankees is replaced by a Montana ranch visit where he discovers his grandfather's hidden baseball past and they heal old wounds together.