My daughter Niva, for the inspiration of Milla’s words about being a Kiddush Hashem, and the original reason I started reading middle grade books again, and thought perhaps I could write my own. All my kids, Niva, Shai, Izzy, and Emmanuelle, who fill our house with laughter (usually, at least when they’re not driving me bananas), busyness, and are the main characters in the sitcom that is our life and home. I love reading with each of you, along with everything else. Thank you for patiently telling your friends that your mom is an author whose book is coming out “soon.”

Jacquie Hann, for seeing the writer in me and the salons in your home. Maggie Lehrman, who first saw the potential of Honey and Me as a real book and encouraged me to make Milla and Honey get into a fight. Elizabeth Law, for a crucial critical read of Honey and Me, as well as pivotal advice, help, and encouragement.

Miriam Craig, for being my first real writing friend; Peter Bunzl, for giving me writing and author advice; and Gail Doggett, for sound editorial feedback; and each of them for our endless conversations about writing and life. And to my wonderful writing group: Peter Bunzl, Miriam Craig, Gail Doggett, Tania Tay, Allison Friebertshauser, and Lorraine Gregory, for support during the bad times and celebration of the good, as well as karaoke, bowling, online party games, and lots of laughs. We started as a critique group and writing friends, but of course we’ve become so much more.

Thank you to SCBWI-British Isles for community and opportunities; and SCBWI in general for how I learned and continue to learn about publishing and writing.

The Association of Jewish Libraries and the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award committee, for choosing Honey and Me for the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award, and to Aileen Grossberg for “the call” and for being so lovely with all the arrangements as well as to Ralph Taylor for setting up the award and Jo Taylor Marshall for continuing to sponsor this award that encourages aspiring authors of Jewish children’s books. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation, for sponsoring TENT: Children’s Literature, of which I had the good fortune to be a fellow in 2019. From the Mixed-Up Files … of Middle-Grade Authors blog (fromthemixedupfiles.com), for giving me a home to share my ideas about writing and middle grade books.

Stephanie Keiser, Sandy Steiner, and Sherri Libin, for being my oldest dearest friends. Sophia Steiner, for talking books with me. Audey Stanleigh z”l, who always believed in me: I miss you and wish you could see this.

And as this is a book about friendship, all my friends—thankfully, too many to name—you know who you are and I am so grateful to you for all our phone calls, walks, meals, time spent together, confidences, and support.

My own sixth-grade teachers, Mrs. Gwartzman z”l and Mr. Eisner, in whose classroom I first saw myself as someone who was both creative and could have academic success. Mr. Waldman z”l, for being a loose inspiration for Mr. Sandler.