This month, we’re celebrating seven years of Rookie! To mark the extra special occasion, we spent some time digging through the archives to highlight some of our (many, many) favorite pieces throughout the years. This week, we’re kicking things off by sharing our favorite works of fiction. They range from funny to sweet to heart-wrenching to are you sure this is fiction? This is exactly how I feel. Somehow we narrowed the list down to ten, for your reading pleasure. So, in no particular order, here they are…

1. In All I Want, Jenny Zhang tells a story about love, forgiveness, and deserving more.

2. Roxane Gay writes about first love, and how tenderness can mend pain in The Year I Learned Everything.

3. The Gray Girls is a creepy short story about girl gangs and monsters written exquisite corpse style by five all-star writers.

4. Summer Crossing by Tyler Ford, illustrated by Allegra Lockstadt, paints vivid scenes that perfectly evoke summer in New York, full of sexual tension and sweaty subway rides.

5. Pleased to Meet Me by Pixie Casey brilliantly imagines what it would be like to explain your current life to previous versions of yourself.

6. Orange Seafoam by Angela Savage recalls the all too real feelings that come with a best friendship that fades.

7. The Promposal by Gabby Noone is a hilariously delightful story about saying no to the Prom Industrial Complex.

8. Grievers Anonymous by Stephanie Kuehnert is a poignant tale about grief, group therapy, and ultimately, healing.

9. The Healer by Stephanie Fields is a beautiful story about Mama Harris, a woman who dedicates her life to helping heal others’ wounds.

10. The Last Train Ride by Mia Sabjaly is a story about the pain and nostalgia that comes with a friendship ending. ♦