seeing beauty in the ordinary

Poetry·Morgan Harris Green, age 8 — Night sounds — crickets chirping, owls hooting, wind whispering — create a sensory portrait of darkness falling, mixing beauty with an undertone of cold unease.

Story·Erin Brock, age 13 — A puzzle-loving girl falls asleep on an unfinished jigsaw and wakes up inside it as a colonial farm girl, discovering she must complete the puzzle from within to escape.

Story·Laura Aberle, age 12 — A curious girl investigates her neighborhood's 'crazy' artist who painted a giant portrait on his house, discovering the painting is made of tiny diverse people and the man is misunderstood.

Poetry·Danny Musher, age 11 — A pond at dusk becomes a cradle of stillness as autumn winds rustle reeds, rushes peer at their reflections, and night settles like a soft blanket.

Story·Liza Brown, age 11 — Four children at a beach each find their own source of joy: Sally plays fetch with dogs, Jordan helps his brother find a lost pet, Rita collects seashells, and Todd...

Story·Julia Echternach, age 11 — A girl roller-skating to a reservoir meets Ally, who teaches her to catch frogs and watch for foxes while sharing a philosophy of doing whatever feels right.

Poetry·Sarah Kim Perry, age 11 — A single snowflake lands on a windowpane at midnight, becoming a silent witness to candlelight inside and stars outside.

Story·Mandana Nakhai, age 11 — Twin siblings reminisce on their last night at a summer lake house, discovering through shared memories that their 'boring' summer was actually filled with adventures.

Story·Scott Limbacher, age 10 — An orphan boy expecting wealthy adoptive parents on Christmas Eve discovers his new family is poor but learns they offer something more valuable than material gifts.

Story·Meredith Allen, age 12 — Two bored suburban kids venture into the swamp seeking a legendary hermit, encounter an alligator, and are saved by the very man they sought.