courage

Story·Freya Jones, age 13 — A 13-year-old chronicles raising her 4-H pig Ash from spring to fair, knowing she'll have to sell him for slaughter, wrestling with love and loss.

Poetry·Georgia Marshall, age 9 — A joyful poem captures the moment of escape from city to meadow, culminating in a spontaneous marriage proposal during a 'violet break' in nature.

Story·Charlie Kubica, age 11 — A Polish boy moves to Miami with his father and grandmother, facing language barriers and bullying before finding community with other immigrant students in ESL class.

Story·Marlena Rohde, age 12 — Two sisters discover magical golden seaweed that cures illness, but when a greedy friend threatens them for it, they escape to join an underwater community of glowing creatures.

Story·Lucy Zanker, age 11 — A girl and her robotic brother accidentally launch themselves into space on their father's NASA rocket, forcing her to disassemble him to return home safely.

Story·Sonja ten Grotenhuis, age 10 — A girl who can't ride a bike faces humiliation at bike camp until she meets Rosie, another struggling rider who offers genuine friendship.

Story·Lia Clark, age 13 — In 1953, an eight-year-old Black girl secretly befriends a white girl through a hole in the fence dividing their neighborhoods, until Brown v. Board changes everything.

Story·Una Dorr, age 11 — A boy terrified of heights must overcome his fear when his cat gets trapped on a crumbling 20th-floor balcony that locks behind him.

Story·Sage Young, age 12 — A house cat gets locked outside during a snowstorm, survives a night in an alley and a raccoon encounter, then finds her way home to her worried human.

Poetry·Callen Bailey, age 12 — A five-year-old battles wind and waves in a canoe during an Adirondack storm, discovering strength and joy amid the chaos.