identity

Personal Narrative·Sonia Teodorescu, age 13 — A girl labeled 'alien' by her friend for her waterproof hair and quirks observes the equally strange behaviors of everyone around her at what seems to be a summer camp.

Story·Harper Fortgang, age 13 — A Purple courier delivering documents in the Forbidden Strip—where Purple and Green people live together—meets Unum, whose greyish-brown skin and perspective challenge everything she's been taught about segregation.

Story·Anya Geist, age 14 — A girl raised in the Land of the Clouds dreams of her forgotten parents on Earth, while learning about a prophecy and the dangerous Organization to Control Time.

Poetry·Tessa Hsieh Schumacher, age 10 — A young writer explores her name through sound and image, from clear streams to butterfly wings, discovering it as her core of courage and uniqueness.

Story·Raya Ilieva, age 10 — Two best friends in a small Florida town face their first real conflict when Oscar starts hanging out with the popular boys instead of taking their daily walks together.

Personal Narrative·Anushka Trivedi, age 10 — Five vignettes explore monsoon rain in India, questions of faith and atheism, becoming an older sister, a medical emergency, and reflections on friendship and the pandemic.

Poetry·Soheon Rhee, age 12 — A solitary dinner becomes surreal when the narrator realizes their guest across the table is actually their own reflection in a mirror.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — A girl tries to become like her perfect classmate Stella by copying her activities, but discovers her own talents and identity along the way.

Poetry·Cora Burch, age 13 — A teen searches Craigslist for a bike with a diagonal bar that defies gender categories, settling on one labeled 'women's' despite their preferences.

Poetry·Rainer Pasca, age 14 — A surreal, fragmented reflection on Hurricane Irene becomes an internal storm, where the speaker recognizes the hurricane as something within themselves.