being different

Story·Rita Rozenbaoum, age 12 — A girl in princess clothes and sandals joins an all-boys basketball team, endures weeks of mockery, then makes the game-winning shot when it matters most.

Poetry·Brendan Grant, age 11 — A poem defines 'alone' through images of isolation: a homeless man at a grocery store, refugees fleeing, a mother who has lost her children, a turban among baseball caps.

Poetry·Brendan Grant, age 11 — A poem that defines 'alone' through images of isolation: a homeless man at a grocery store, refugees fleeing, a pillar in rubble, an Iraqi mother, a turban among baseball caps.

Story·Emily Blackmer, age 12 — A thirteen-year-old writer rises before dawn on the summer solstice to watch the sunrise alone, finding validation for her literary dreams in nature's voice.

Story·Emily Blackmer, age 12 — A thirteen-year-old writer rises at dawn on the summer solstice to watch the sunrise alone, finding validation for her literary dreams in nature's voice.

Story·Nora Rothman, age 11 — In 1850, a sixteen-year-old girl who dreams of more than housework meets a stranger who takes her poetry to a printing press, changing her life forever.

Poetry·Nicole Guenther, age 12 — A girl contrasts her fearless swing-jumping with her cautious friend, capturing the exhilaration of flight and the dizzy joy of letting go.

Story·Megan M. Gannett, age 13 — A girl watches her mysterious neighbor Rochelle for years before discovering she's created an elaborate kingdom from stones, each with names and personalities.

Story·Katie Russell, age 12 — Five softball-obsessed girls who refuse to outgrow their park face a newcomer in pink who shatters both their expectations and a neighbor's window with one swing.

Story·Veronica Engler, age 15 — A young woman becomes the first female bull rider to attempt the Championships, facing down Widow Maker, a bull unridden for seven years.