family bonds

Story·Emily Taylor, age 11 — Two girls discover a hidden stamp collection from 1943 in the woods, track down its elderly owner, and learn why he hid it during World War II.

Story·Annie Strother, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old reflects on her nomadic life in her parents' van, arriving in their thirty-second town while longing for the stability of a real home.

Story·Liza Brown, age 11 — Four children at a beach each find their own source of joy: Sally plays fetch with dogs, Jordan helps his brother find a lost pet, Rita collects seashells, and Todd...

Story·Leah Karker, age 12 — A girl raised on a farm discovers she's a wolf when she finds her birth mother among a wolf pack and transforms to join them.

Poetry·Jennifer Chin, age 11 — A young writer lists places around the world where family members live, then realizes location doesn't matter as long as family is there.

Story·Kristen Martin, age 12 — A girl misses her best friend who moved to England three years ago, fights with her parents about visiting, then learns patience when her father suggests a family trip.

Story·Alex Iyker, age 11 — A seven-year-old girl searches for her missing grandfather in a blizzard, guided by her dog to a cave where he lies injured, and brings him home on Christmas Eve.

Story·Scott Limbacher, age 10 — An orphan boy expecting wealthy adoptive parents on Christmas Eve discovers his new family is poor but learns they offer something more valuable than material gifts.

Story·Peter Swegart, age 10 — A foster brother recalls two years with Jack, an orphan boy who arrived scared and angry but slowly learned to play, trust, and eventually found adoptive parents.

Story·Jack Mesich — A mother cheetah hunts to feed her cubs, then saves them from a grass fire sparked by lightning, losing one cub before finding her again.