belonging

Poetry·Pierie Korostoff, age 12 — Kitchen scene where paperwhites by the sink, snow outside, and magnetic poetry on the fridge create a meditation on mismatched elements that somehow belong together.

Story·Emily Livaudais, age 11 — A girl moves to Iceland after her parents die, discovers her grandmother once lived there, and finds comfort in a special doll her grandmother arranged for her to receive.

Story·Alana Yang, age 12 — A seventh grader sneaks out at midnight to her childhood faerie circle and witnesses real faeries dancing under the full moon, who spell her name in daisies and leave her...

Story·Natalie Schuman, age 11 — A girl recounts thirteen years with her beloved Barbadian babysitter Juan, from their first meeting through the bittersweet day Juan stops working for the family.

Story·Dressler Parsons, age 11 — A lonely girl rescues a kitten from a rattlesnake in the Arizona desert, and the small act of caring brings her disconnected family together for the first time in years.

Story·Lyla Lawless, age 13 — A twelve-year-old girl devastated by moving from Rockville to Springfield finds hope in a letter left by the previous occupant of her new room.

Story·Caroline Thomas, age 12 — A Blue Heeler named Patches patrols her Texas ranch, herding horses, chasing cars, and protecting her territory until pride lands her in the pool.

Story·Anna Hirtes, age 9 — An orphan girl named Shelly encounters a unicorn in the Magic Forest who saves her from a snake bite, then meets her identical twin Elizabeth.

Story·Samantha Lai, age 10 — A slave girl named Min-Li discovers she is a Guardian of the Phoenix when a magical bird rescues her and reveals her destiny to heal villages.

Story·Emma Delaney, age 13 — On the last day of eighth grade, seven best friends release a balloon with a wish to stay friends forever, as they face separation for high school.