responsibility

Story·Nikki Morse, age 12 — A girl tries to steal a golden model dog from a country store but is stopped by a persistent puppy who becomes her real treasure instead.

Story·Valerie Gill, age 13 — During a power outage, a girl discovers her computer mysteriously working and receives cryptic messages about Earth, humanity as parasites, and her role in learning everything.

Story·Tara Stroll, age 13 — A teenage trapper and his dog get lost in a Canadian blizzard, facing freezing water, injuries, and near-death before finding their way to safety.

Story·Alex Mifflin, age 12 — A 12-year-old recounts his family's devastating car crash in Australia, his role as the only uninjured member, and their long recovery together.

Story·Michelle Doré Sizemore, age 13 — A twelve-year-old boy runs away on a snowy night, believing his departure will prevent his parents' divorce, only to be found by police and returned home to face the truth.

Story·Stephanie Gomory, age 12 — A drama-loving girl accidentally breaks a precious jade elephant in an antique shop and offers to perform for the elderly owner's sick husband as recompense.

Story·Leslie Pearsall — After her sister's fatal riding accident, Dylan struggles with her mother's overprotectiveness until her own fall forces her to choose between her passion for horses and her mother's peace of...

Story·Elizabeth Mainardi, age 13 — A wizard named Zordex faces his enemy Yoleighwan in a standoff on a barren plain, then receives an unexpected visit from Queen Qyera seeking an alliance against dark forces.

Poetry·Bradley Culley, age 11 — A boy's first hunting trip with his father becomes a moment of moral reckoning when he shoots a deer and collapses under the weight of what he's done.

Story·Ann Pedtke, age 13 — During a blizzard in 1861, fourteen-year-old Abby takes over for an injured Pony Express rider to deliver President Lincoln's inaugural speech two miles through the storm.