Reaching Calm

<p>Reaching Calm the debut chapbook of youth poet Adhira Raju invites readers into a clear-eyed quietly brave conversation with growing up. Moving through anxious beginnings to meditations on identity creative block solitude confusion and post-pandemic life the collection follows a gentle arc toward grounding. Anchored by lifelines music art and stories Raju examines her internal landscape asking Who am I? Why do I feel this way? Where is the horizon?. These poems model practical calm: pause breathe choose your next step. Reaching Calm offers a compassionate mirror for anyone navigating worry change and the creative process. </p><p></p><p>​​​​​​​Developed through Youth Writers' Camp (Summer 2025) this initiative gives young people the tools to share their voices and experiences through creative writing. The program emphasizes social-emotional learning self-expression and community building making it valuable for both youth and adults. Suitable for middle-grade readers and up Youth Writers' Camp projects connect naturally to classroom and youth-program discussions about creativity resilience and the power of storytelling.</p><p></p>