belonging

Story·Rachel Schneck, age 10 — A wild African horse is captured, shipped to America, and passed between owners until she escapes during a film shoot and returns to freedom on the African plains.

Story·Rosalie Schulick, age 13 — A six-year-old girl hatches a duckling from an abandoned egg, raises it as her best friend, then learns to let it return to its wild family at the pond.

Story·Annie Strother, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old reflects on her nomadic life in her parents' van, arriving in their thirty-second town while longing for the stability of a real home.

Story·Laura Aberle, age 12 — A curious girl investigates her neighborhood's 'crazy' artist who painted a giant portrait on his house, discovering the painting is made of tiny diverse people and the man is misunderstood.

Story·Leah Karker, age 12 — A girl raised on a farm discovers she's a wolf when she finds her birth mother among a wolf pack and transforms to join them.

Story·Daniel Lyons, age 12 — At summer camp, a boy befriends Caylan, a special needs camper, and defies the drama director by bringing him onstage to perform in the camp musical together.

Story·Laurel Lathrop, age 13 — A girl on the social outskirts is chosen as the healer's apprentice, severing ties with family and friends to begin her new life in the forest.

Poetry·Jennifer Chin, age 11 — A young writer lists places around the world where family members live, then realizes location doesn't matter as long as family is there.

Story·Cooper Oznowicz, age 12 — A boy from a small Connecticut town experiences his first Yankees game, leaves early during a blowout, then listens to a dramatic comeback attempt on the car radio.

Story·Scott Limbacher, age 10 — An orphan boy expecting wealthy adoptive parents on Christmas Eve discovers his new family is poor but learns they offer something more valuable than material gifts.