finding beauty in the ordinary

Story·Fiona Clare Altschuler, age 11 — Poor mouse twins receive a visit from the wealthy royal family, whose scorn prompts their mother to declare she's richer in joy than they are in gold.

Poetry·Soheon Rhee, age 12 — A meditation on dishwashing becomes a portal to memory, neighborhood sounds, and the passage of time in a Korean household abroad.

Poetry·Cora Burch, age 13 — At 4 AM, a girl reads a beloved book while reflecting on how beauty and peace persist alongside the pandemic's ongoing tragedy.

Poetry·Enni Harlan, age 13 — A father and daughter discover a dead bird at dusk and create an impromptu funeral with autumn leaves, watching as wind carries both leaves and spirit away.

Poetry·Julia Marcus, age 13 — During a word game, a player watches letters transform into words like FISH becoming SHIFT, finding poetry in the randomness of language emerging from tiles.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 9 — A young poet searches for a golden orb for seven days, finally discovering it feels unexpectedly salty to the touch.

Poetry·Isabel Goodey, age 11 — A child's boredom becomes a moored boat rocking in a dreary bay, while stars twinkle merrily and gulls squawk terribly above.

Story·Elyse Bambrough, age 7 — In a world of trash and rain, a child builds a forest from discarded materials, creating tigers and toucans from tin, though the colorless creation leaves them longing.

Story·Vandana Ravi, age 12 — A girl's morning bike ride to school becomes a meditation on class differences and gratitude, finding beauty in her modest neighborhood despite glimpses of wealth.

Story·Carmen Flax, age 10 — A ghostly lilac figure wanders through pine forests and black rivers on an October night, crying out in sorrow before retreating into shadows.