facing fear

Poetry·Ian Maduff — A kinetic poem follows a car journey across the Bishop Ford bridge, past landmarks and exits, building speed toward a hidden quarry pit.

Story·Hadley Taylor — A curious girl defies warnings about a grumpy man's forbidden book collection, only to be seized by magical vines that emerge from an enchanted volume.

Story·Deeksha Rajesh — A soldier on a battlefield, carrying photos from fallen comrades, hesitates to shoot an enemy and is killed, choosing to let another's future persist over his own.

Poetry·Isley T. Bloom — A poem contrasts the fearless lion who stands its ground with the quick lizard who runs but can regenerate, exploring different forms of strength and survival.

Personal Narrative·Luca Molinaro — During a Romanian beach vacation, a boy's fear of massive waves transforms when he learns to surrender to the ocean's power rather than fight it.

Story·Emily Chang — A year after accidentally injuring her best friend on a snow day, Anna struggles with loneliness until a wounded bird helps her find a path toward healing and reconnection.

Personal Narrative·Misha Joksic — A boy experiences sudden, severe stomach pain that turns out to be appendicitis, leading to an experimental treatment at NYU Langone Hospital instead of surgery.

Story·Sophie Daniel — During a thunderstorm, a frightened girl and her mother share their fears, leading the girl to discover courage as the storm passes and flowers bloom.

Personal Narrative·Mengxin Sun — Seven-year-old stuck on a water slide at Great Wolf Lodge faces her fear of darkness and devises a solution to get the raft moving again.

Story·Lindsay Gale — A young flutist freezes with stage fright at a recital, flees the church, but finds courage watching sunlight on her flute and returns to perform triumphantly.