This month’s theme is Young Adult fiction. The Sparks will be photos that can ignite a Young Adult story.

What’s the story in the photo above? Who are these kids? Why is there only one girl with eleven boys? With the kids all looking the same age and standing around in the woods, they remind me of my trail group that I led when I chaperoned my oldest and 150 classmates at sixth grade camp for three days. Although making a group of one girl with eleven 12-year-old boys seems cruel. I can imagine her concern.

Lone girl: Miz Allen, my friend Madison is supposed to be in our group.

Me, digging out sheet of paper: She’s not on my list.

Boy #1: So you take the French fries and stuff them up your nose and …

Other boys: Cool!

Lone girl: Can I please go find my friend Madison?