empathy
— A teen reluctantly agrees to teach piano to her blind neighbor, confronting her own prejudices when the girl calls her out for treating her differently because of her disability.
— A girl watches classmates bully an autistic student on the bus until a fifth-grader intervenes, transforming the entire bus culture with one act of courage.
— A self-conscious girl travels to Ireland to stay with relatives and discovers her pink-haired cousin Bridget is a talented artist dealing with her father's recent departure.
— Carmen wins a coveted violin solo over popular classmate Gabriella, but when she finds Gabriella crying, they discover they both wanted to be friends all along.
— Carmen auditions for a violin solo against the popular new girl Gabriella, wins the part, then discovers Gabriella wanted to be friends all along.
— A basketball tryout becomes a battleground when a rival sabotages the narrator's chances, but stealing a page from the rival's diary reveals unexpected vulnerability.
— A bored five-year-old on the Titanic wanders below decks, meets a young mechanic who helps her understand her strict governess, and gains a new perspective on their relationship.
— A girl traces her understanding of the Iraq War through three encounters: her aunt's photos, a returned care package marked DECEASED, and her grandmother holding a soldier's boots.
— A girl angry about moving to a rundown farmhouse discovers a hidden underground room in the barn, leading to reconciliation with her mother.
— Emma befriends Tansy, a deaf girl visiting with her family, by writing notes back and forth, leading to horseback riding and a promise to be pen pals.