family bonds

Story·Ariana González Silas, age 11 — Two sisters left home alone escalate from bickering to a kitchen accident that brings them together when the older sister rushes the younger to the hospital.

Poetry·Vincenzo Ruggiero, age 13 — A boy describes his after-school routine with his dog Bella, from her greeting at the window to playing fetch, bath time, and bedtime.

Story·Isabel Folger, age 12 — A girl struggles with her family's move to Hawaii and her father's engagement, finding peace only when she discovers her mother's spirit remains with her.

Story·Emily Knopf, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old girl remembers her brother's journey from playful teenager to soldier while processing the news that he's missing in action in Afghanistan.

Poetry·Theo Taplitz, age 10 — A boat journey brings memories of a grandfather as dolphins appear, blending present observation with past experiences on the water.

Story·Kyle Trefny, age 11 — A boy joins his marine biologist father on a rescue mission to free a bottlenose dolphin trapped in fishing nets fourteen miles off the California coast.

Story·Marina Stevenson, age 12 — A girl visits her grandmother with Alzheimer's at a retirement home, grapples with a missing wedding ring, and finds peace when her grandmother hears angels singing.

Story·Sonia Suben, age 10 — After his parents' divorce, Jasper struggles to adjust to life with his mother until he finds solace at a dock by the sea and learns a hard truth from his...

Story·Eoin O'Mara, age 11 — A boy secretly befriends a field mouse his family considers a pest, then faces a moral crisis when his grandmother orders him to shoot it with his bow and arrow.

Story·Elia Smith, age 9 — A girl receives a mysterious golden locket that only certain people can see, giving her courage to sing her first solo and later passing it to her sister.