CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MELISSA ROTERT & KRISTIN HOULIHAN
“choices, choices, oh so many choices!”
Bethany Hernandez
Bethany’s poem perfectly sums up our theme for this issue: Choices. Life is full of decisions, from tiny ones to huge ones, that each have the potential to alter the course of our lives. We wanted to explore what kinds of choices kids need to make and how you feel about them. Reading the pieces we’ve selected for this issue, I noticed a few trends:
- Friends and bullies came up a lot, even in pieces we didn’t choose to publish. Who you choose to be friends with is a huge deal!
- You’re aware of the possibility of choosing the wrong thing. Sometimes, like in “What flavor ice cream?” the bad choice is no big deal, but sometimes, like in “The Troublemaker,” the consequences are bigger.
I was struck by the wisdom of the young writers and artists featured in this issue, and the context created around those pieces by our adult contributors. Kids know their choices matter, they know their voices matter.
Shaun Jex reminds us in “The Big Beautiful Puzzle” that your choices determine the kind of life you lead, and make you who you are. YOU determine who you are, and that is a gift! Use it wisely.
Tell your grownups to read our latest issue of Epistemic Literary, where we talk with adults about a very similar theme. And take some time to play our “Pick Your Path” game, see where your choices lead!
– Kristin Houlihan, Co-founder and EIC, Poetry