A best of the best collection from five years of 826DC. In this anthology students share stories, poetry, commitments, recollections, and histories. Hear about secret spots in DC, meet Foofy the intergalactic kitty, learn how to know when you've succeeded at something, and be moved by stories of strength and resilience.

— Simon Traub-Epstein, International Library of Young Authors

From the publisher: “Through writing, we can illuminate aspects of ourselves that may otherwise remain in the shadows. With clarity of voice and conviction in their message, the students of 826DC have exemplified what this practice can be at its most vivid and hopeful. In The Light, a collection of selected student works from 2016-2021, invites readers to bear witness to where these young writers have been, how they are working through an uncertain present, and the imagined better world they see ahead of them. From DC sidewalks to the expansive galaxies far away, these intrepid young writers illuminate the possibility of new futures ahead.”