courage

Story·Rachel Johnson, age 13 — A Cuban-American boy finds solace and identity through a secret friendship with a bull after his grandmother's death, defying his assimilated family.

Story·Hana Bieliauskas, age 13 — A girl befriends her new neighbor Jessica, who gradually reveals manipulative behavior, steals a family heirloom, and drives a wedge between the narrator and her best friend.

Story·Alex Chan-Kai, age 11 — A boy ignores earthquake warnings to go skateboarding with his friend, then gets trapped when a major quake hits the skate park and the building collapses.

Story·Rebekah Carbajal, age 11 — Three cousins rowing to a Maine lighthouse are caught in a sudden storm, their boat capsizes, and they barely make it to shore alive.

Story·Chris Heinrich, age 13 — A boy on his first duck hunt with his father struggles between wanting to please his dad and his inability to kill the mallard in his sights.

Story·Max Strebel, age 11 — A boy reluctantly leaves his TV show to help with chores, befriends a squirrel, attempts to rescue it from a hawk, and discovers a new connection to nature.

Story·Jill Cooley, age 13 — A young ballet dancer overcomes stage fright to perform as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, discovering that her emotional connection to dance matters more than technical perfection.

Story·Arielle Gorin, age 13 — A Jewish boy flees to Switzerland with an aging WWI veteran during the Nazi occupation, learning to see beyond hero worship to understand human complexity.

Story·Elizabeth Mainardi, age 13 — A wizard named Zordex faces his enemy Yoleighwan in a standoff on a barren plain, then receives an unexpected visit from Queen Qyera seeking an alliance against dark forces.

Story·Shelley Noel McFatter — A river otter named Roscoe flees from hunters and is saved when an old beaver sacrifices his life to protect him, changing Roscoe forever.