finding one's voice

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 9 — Three parks compete to be the best, each amazing in its own way, fighting daily for supremacy while pleasing children who don't understand the rivalry.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 9 — A playful meditation on hair elastics transforms a mundane object into something magical, capturing the physical sensation of summer heat and the relief of pulling hair back.

Story·Hannah Nami Gajcowski, age 9 — A young girl with magical powers must defeat an evil rock star who has enslaved Neptune's citizens with mind-controlling lightning, aided by new friends and a talking rat.

Story·Hannah Nami Gajcowski, age 9 — A young furow girl named Elana discovers she's the Chosen One and embarks on a magical quest with a fairy named Henry to stop the evil rock star Casey Flumpton...

Story·Hannah Nami Gajcowski — In this installment of a fantasy novella, Elana cures Henry's paint-fainting sickness, recruits gingerbread workers for an army, and infiltrates Casey's castle using magical lightning rope.

Poetry·Naomi Angel Farkas, age 12 — A meditation on feeling trapped by others' expectations transforms into a plea for empathy and a vision of freedom through flight and song.

Story·Harper Fortgang, age 11 — A girl faces sexist taunts when joining the Boys' Chess Club but wins over her teammates by reframing their shared experiences of exclusion and leading them to victory.

Poetry·Lilly-June Gordon, age 12 — A young writer explores the gap between how peers see her—aloof, friendless—and how she sees herself: kind, connected, surviving through writing.

Personal Narrative·Sara Heller, age 12 — After falling during pointe hops at Russian ballet camp, a shy dancer gains strength and confidence through a roommate's patient coaching and encouragement.

Poetry·Penelope Purchase, age 11 — A poem about the sudden, irresistible pull of nature that draws you outside to turn cartwheels under the moon and watch the world spin.