seeing beauty in the ordinary

Poetry·Sam Brandis-Dann, age 11 — A prose poem traces summer wind through sensory moments — sweet taste, ruffled hair, fireflies — until winter arrives and only memory remains.

Story·Rebekah Carbajal, age 12 — A boy complaining about chores falls asleep and wakes in the past where he must work on a farm, learning to appreciate modern conveniences.

Story·Xian Chiang-Waren — A Manhattan girl spends a reluctant summer on a Kentucky farm, where a barefoot country girl teaches her to climb trees, ride horses, and watch sunrises.

Story·Leah Sausjord Karlins, age 12 — Leaving her family's beach house for the last time this summer, a girl recalls memories of swimming, sailing, and sea turtles while dreading the return to school schedules.

Poetry·Craig Shepard, age 12 — A boy sits alone in his room during his birthday party, listening to family sounds below and feeling grateful for this perfect moment.

Poetry·Marley Powell, age 12 — A girl watches her cat grooming and wonders what cats understand about human conflicts, terrorism, and whether they might govern the world better than humans do.

Poetry·John Roberts, age 13 — A family celebrates every small victory by dancing the tango together, with even the dogs joining in, creating a ritual of shared joy.

Poetry·Tae Kathleen Keller, age 8 — A young pianist arrives for her lesson in a room filled with vanilla candles and Sesame Street stickers, then leaves with an assignment to compose a New Year's song.

Story·Alexandra Pistey, age 13 — A Nevada girl becomes obsessed with capturing a wild palomino mustang, but when her father catches the mare for her birthday, she realizes the horse's spirit belongs to the mountains.

Story·MadeIon Case — A father and daughter paddle across a misty lake at dawn, observing wildlife until a beaver slaps its tail in warning before disappearing into its dam.