I WANT YOU TO MEET SAM by Yulia Kravchina

Before you meet Sam, I want you to think.

I know you hate thinking, but wait, don’t you blink.

At school, it’s a bit of a different deal.

But this time around, let’s talk about how you feel.

ME, MY SKIP, AND I by Christian Angeles

The moist air wreaked of rainwater and Skip’s curiously pungent aroma, which left an oddly familiar taste of vinegar on my palate. Not that I should be surprised. Humans have always tasted salty and oily and on rare and refreshing occasions: sweet. Especially in the summer. And most especially after eating ice cream.

THE KIDS MEET A HOMELESS MAN by Jason Liebman

Jimmy was walking home from school with his friends, Peter and Sarah.

They walked past a stranger sitting on the floor outside the convenience store. He was dirty, his clothes were torn, he was holding a cup and begging for money.

Peter turned to Sarah and Jimmy and said, “Hey watch this,” with a mischievous smirk on his face.

THROUGH INNOCENT EYES by The Sir Shaggs

Mia arrived with her son, Jacob, at the bus terminal nearly an hour early. Mia grabbed her phone to call for Phil, their welcoming ride into the heart of New York City, as Jacob stared around in amazement at the people zipping to and fro.

VICTORY RUN by Jad Kaado

Twelve-year-old Vincent Victory packed up his comic books and blanket in his school bag, glancing around his room for the final time.  He dredged up enough courage to leave and cracked open his noisy window to the muffled screams of his parents.  They didn’t notice, of course, as the trend of the past year was a focus on his father’s new political career, the “Victory Campaign.” And ever since he won, things were never the same for the family.