facing fear

Story·Giles Trim — A cat narrates its elaborate escape from being taken to the vet, until it accidentally speaks English and shocks its humans into submission.

Story·Alice Pak — As conflict between Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces approaches their border town, two childhood friends witness the gradual erosion of their peaceful world through power outages, distant explosions, and rising...

Personal Narrative·Aisana Zhumabayeva — After their father fails to pick them up from school, two siblings wait in an empty cafeteria until an ambulance arrives to take them to the hospital where they learn...

Poetry·Julia Xu — A poem observing wildfire from a distance, exploring the paralysis of witnessing destruction while remaining safe on a green mountain.

Story·Lina Yoon — A girl ventures into a frozen forest, falls through river ice where her brother died, and barely survives the journey home through determination and remembered warnings.

Story·Emma Chen Rolufs — A chicken named Rico dreams of becoming a Skyclash champion despite everyone's doubts, trains secretly for months, and defeats the school bully Tony in the championship match.

Personal Narrative·Carys Kim — A girl overcomes her fear to shave her head in solidarity with her grandmother who has cancer, discovering unexpected strength in the act.

Story·Chris Yihan Ye — During extreme seasons—windy spring, scorching summer, cool fall, freezing winter—various animals struggle with weather challenges while their companions offer practical solutions they refuse.

Story·Eliana Vitti — A red hen stops laying eggs to prevent them from being stolen, leading to her selection for the farmer's New Year's Eve dinner.

Story·Natasha Dolinsky — A girl attends therapy sessions for her 'imaginary friend' Emma, who turns out to be the sister who died in the car crash that killed their parents.