wonder

Story·Emmy J. X. Wong, age 12 — A Newfoundland girl finds a mysterious bottle on the shore, launches it with a carved whale inside, and watches it travel the world collecting treasures from children in different countries.

Story·Emma Place, age 11 — A girl sailing with her family off the Maine coast slips into the water and rides a dolphin after a pod appears alongside their boat.

Story·Lizzy Teerlink, age 13 — A young boy in 1950s Chicago waits for Christmas morning when a reindeer mysteriously enters his bedroom, leaving him with a magical encounter he'll never forget.

Poetry·Ryan Sparks, age 12 — A brother witnesses a newborn's first moments of consciousness, watching as the baby's eyes open to light and a world of new experiences.

Poetry·Mia Ba-Lu Hildebrandt, age 12 — A young girl walking to school becomes enchanted by a brown-and-white tabby cat following her, despite her mother's urgings to hurry along.

Poetry·Rebecca Mitkus Wishnie, age 10 — Night at a dock becomes a symphony of metallic clangs, wave sounds, and boat thuds, while stars spark like kindling in the black sky.

Poetry·John Rager, age 12 — A student on a creek field trip catalogs sky and water discoveries, from mud puppies to scraped knees, reluctant to leave when time runs out.

Story·Abby Lustig, age 11 — A girl races along the beach following a dolphin, sprinting through sand and tide pools to keep up with the graceful creature before having to leave for the airport.

Poetry·Matthew Brailsford, age 11 — A child at the beach reaches out to touch the sunset and wraps it around their shoulders like a coat, transforming sensory experience into wearable joy.

Poetry·Ava Persinger, age 12 — A young observer discovers the ocean's hidden music — from crashing waves to a tiny crab's clicking claws to shells clinking in the depths.