winter

Poetry·Astrid May Steiner-Manning, age 12 — Runners collapse together in winter snow, their bodies folding into each other like marionettes, transforming exhaustion into shared laughter and connection.

Story·Isabel Folger, age 12 — A girl shovels snow to earn money for Christmas presents, then must choose between a bracelet she wants and a gift for her sister.

Story·Eloise Wendt, age 12 — A California girl moves to snowy Minnesota after her parents' divorce, chases a coatless winter cyclist, and discovers an unexpected friendship with someone who feels just as out of place.

Story·Alex Perry, age 9 — A young skier investigating dark puddles in cracked ice falls through and fights to survive, his life flashing before him as he struggles toward the surface.

Poetry·Claire Yoon MacDonald, age 10 — A young poet steps outside into winter, capturing the immediate sensory impact of cold air, snow, ice, and bare trees swaying in the wind.