courage

Story·Emma Kilgore Hine, age 12 — When knights leave for battle, a noble girl who dreams of heroism must defend her castle from enemy attack, proving herself as the warrior she longs to be.

Story·Preston Craig, age 10 — A girl who believes she's bad at everything discovers kayaking, overcomes her fear after tipping over, and places second in a race.

Poetry·Hudson Jetton, age 12 — In overtime's golden goal moment, a young soccer player faces a penalty kick, feeling the pressure mount before making the winning shot.

Story·Annam Nayak, age 12 — A young man who can speak to birds is banished by his father after revealing an unwelcome prophecy, but returns years later wealthy and wise, fulfilling the birds' prediction.

Story·Marian Homans-Turnbull, age 13 — A girl's last morning on a Nova Scotia island turns into a fog-bound adventure when their boat gets lost, leading to an unexpected sail on a schooner.

Story·Julia Duchesne, age 13 — A boy discovers his natural rock-climbing talent during a family vacation, then faces his first real test when his sister's life hangs in the balance on a Greek cliff.

Story·Casey Tolan, age 11 — A young thief steals a sacred necklace to pay for his father's doctor, but when an innocent girl faces execution for his crime, he must choose between saving her life...

Story·Natania Field, age 13 — A volunteer firefighter rescues a boy from a burning house, reliving memories of being saved from a fire by his sister years earlier.

Poetry·Mira Bernstein Kaufman, age 11 — A child swimming with her father discovers strength in diving under waves instead of fighting them, finding joy in the ocean's power.

Story·Mariel Dempster — A girl sent to an Italian convent school to stop her from painting secretly learns from an old man in the town plaza and ultimately convinces her mother to let...