courage

Personal Narrative·Shriyans Boddu, age 11 — A New York City boy gets permission to go outside alone for the first time, gets lost, and must find his way home using the subway.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — Swifty navigates hip-hop classes, failed auditions, a new baby brother, and friendship drama while discovering drums and cutting her hair for charity.

Story·Anonymous — A hungry five-year-old boy unknowingly reports his parents for treason to a dystopian government in exchange for candy, not understanding what he's done.

Story·Ananya Nigam, age 13 — A leaf contemplates the community rule that all leaves must eventually fall, resisting until witnessing a tree being cut down transforms fear into understanding.

Story·Iris Chen, age 10 — A girl plants magical colorful flowers in her gray town that's been mourning a hurricane, transforming it from grief to hope despite the mayor's opposition.

Personal Narrative·Kaydence Sweitzer, age 9 — A child reading in a blanket fort is frightened by strange noises at night, tears damaging their library book before discovering it's just the wind.

Story·Sienna Rapaport, age 10 — A girl with a vast imagination discovers her father is the legendary Bird of Steel and must steal his power to save Riverhaven from eternal conflict between humans and magical...

Story·Anya Geist, age 13 — In a genetically engineered society where roles are predetermined, a young Director-in-training discovers her forbidden passion for music during a symphony rehearsal.

Personal Narrative·Asher Jenvey, age 10 — A boy recounts his journey through bullying and unsupportive schools in second grade to finding real friends and better teachers by fifth grade.

Story·Panagiotis Apatsidis Gunaratnam, age 9 — When Mike disappears from school, detectives follow clues through a haunted palace and time machine to rescue him from the Stone Age.