finding home

Story·Karin Denton, age 12 — A girl reluctantly visits her family's new house, escapes the paint fumes to explore the woods behind it, and discovers a hidden meadow that helps her accept the move.

Poetry·Colin Johnson, age 11 — Christmas morning unfolds through sensory details as two brothers wait impatiently for parents to wake, then discover surf-themed presents under the glowing tree.

Story·Brigid Armbrust, age 13 — Emma struggles with moving to Maine until a wise classmate teaches her that home isn't a place but something you carry with you, transforming dirt into meaning.

Story·Hannah Krenn, age 13 — A girl shares her late grandfather's memory box with her younger sister to comfort her after classmates call her stupid, discovering that giving memories away multiplies their power.

Story·Elia Smith, age 11 — A girl puzzled by magic's selective protection during a storm discovers through dreams and her sister's unexpected kindness that magic exists in everyday moments and reconnected relationships.

Poetry·Norah Brady, age 13 — Night sounds — cricket drone, rain on gutters, distant conversations — become a symphony as the world falls into sleep.

Poetry·Anamaria Grieco, age 13 — A child drifts to sleep in a hammock, moving from stillness through sunset to starlight, cradled by gentle swinging and soft sounds.

Story·Hannah Mark, age 13 — A city boy reluctantly spends summer on his grandfather's Montana farm, initially resenting the work but gradually discovering satisfaction in farm life and connection with nature.

Story·Ermeen Choudhury, age 12 — A girl forced to move from her beloved bedroom runs into the woods, where blue jays sing a song that helps her understand home is carried in memory.

Story·Jem Burch, age 12 — A Vietnamese refugee girl struggles with isolation at her new American school until a classmate teaches her English in the library, word by word, leading to friendship.