finding home

Poetry·Caroline Lunt, age 12 — A child climbs to a tree house and observes the small details of nature—an ant carrying a leaf, a bird taking flight—before settling down to read.

Story·Benet Dawn Stoen, age 11 — A girl moves to the South Pole with her scientist parents, befriends a local boy who runs away after a painful memory surfaces, then nearly dies of hypothermia while searching...

Poetry·Madeline Snigaroff, age 11 — A catalog of simple sensory pleasures builds to an unexpected direct address, transforming observation into intimate connection.

Poetry·Genna Carroll, age 13 — After a week of camping, a girl appreciates indoor comforts — shower, pillows, warmth — until she realizes she misses the stars that were her companions outdoors.

Story·Genevieve Anderle, age 13 — A family's annual Jersey Shore tradition of catching, killing, and cooking crabs becomes a multigenerational ritual of teasing, swimming, and feasting on homemade Italian gravy.

Story·Megan Petty, age 11 — A dog befriends a pregnant wolf cast out from her pack, ultimately choosing to protect her from a hunter and join the wild to prove dogs and wolves can live...

Story·Anonymous, Illustrated by Madeleine Gates — A seven-year-old moves from California to Chicago, struggles with homesickness and lost friendships, then finds connection through soccer and a new friend named Jonathan.

Story·Charlotte Merrick, age 12 — A lonely commuter observes fleeting human connections on the M31 bus, finding meaning in strangers' brief interactions while questioning their own isolation.

Story·Ella Staats, age 10 — A girl sent to live with grandparents in Maine because her family has eight children finds a stray kitten on the beach and realizes she hasn't been abandoned after all.

Poetry·Zoë Cassinelli, age 12 — Laughter becomes a cool glass of water that offers temporary escape from homework, hospital visits, and the weight of the real world.