resilience
— A young poet confronts fear as a physical presence, describing its effects on body and mind before declaring victory through direct combat.
— A nine-year-old Jewish boy is smuggled from Warsaw to Switzerland inside a curtain during WWII, separated from his family but eventually finding hope through a letter confirming their safety.
— A Vietnamese girl named Hoa, overwhelmed by her new American school, runs away to the fields where a mystical connection to nature helps her find peace with her new home.
— During Hurricane Sandy's blackout, a family lights their first fire, boils water for foot-soaking, and finds calm while wind rages outside their dark house.
— After falling during pointe hops at Russian ballet camp, a shy dancer gains strength and confidence through a roommate's patient coaching and encouragement.
— After a killer whale destroys his research ship, a marine biologist and his pet cormorant survive on a deserted island until they can build a raft to escape.
— A teenage surfer faces the same deadly waves that killed his father at the Mavericks competition, then risks everything to save his friend from drowning.
— A boy recounts the discovery and surgical removal of a skull tumor when he was a baby, emphasizing his family's faith and the lasting impact on his life.
— Beverly Henderson, orphaned in 1950s Idaho, befriends a raccoon named Bandit who later betrays her, causing an explosion that kills her father and leaves her in a 13-year coma.
— A girl waits alone in the rain when her mother doesn't meet her at the bus stop, remembering past loneliness and finding comfort when her siblings arrive.