First, I want to thank my heroically tireless editor, Jessica Dandino Garrison, whose brainstorming and fine-tuning and pushing for depth and spark and fullness of story filled this book with life. Your faith in my writing and dedication to these characters invigorated me even on days when it was hard to return to the page. I am a happier writer for having embarked on this journey with you.

Thank you to my wonderful agent, Katelyn Detweiler. At a school visit once, I was asked to name my favorite part of being an author, and on the spur of the moment, I said, “My agent.” And it’s true! You unfailingly make me feel that I truly belong in this industry, that my words matter and my stories are important. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you as my champion and friend. Thank you also to the whole JGLM team, especially Cheryl Pientka and Denise St. Pierre, whose cheerleading and thoughtful notes have always been incredible boons.

And speaking of invaluable mood-boosters, thank you so much to all my beautiful, spectacular, gifted, honest, inspiring author friends, who read and commented and encouraged and distracted and laughed and commiserated through all my many drafts. Extra love to Virginia Boecker, Lee Kelly, Candice Montgomery, Amber Hart, Jay Coles, Lauren Gibaldi, Kim Liggett, and Mackenzi Lee—you mean the world to me.

My endless gratitude to the team at Dial Books and Penguin Young Readers Group, especially Ellen Cormier and Lauri Hornik for their keen support and insightful feedback, and Regina Castillo for her dazzling eagle eye. Thank you to Dana Li and Theresa Evangelista for their endurance and creative thinking in creating an utterly delightful cover, and to Cerise Steel for her elegant and industrious work on the design of the interiors. I’m especially indebted to all those who provided incredibly helpful thoughts along the way, particularly Amber Nicole Salik, Christina Colangelo, Bridget Hartzler, Elora Sullivan, Kara Brammer, Courtney McAuslan, and Lizzie Goodell. Extra-jumbo thanks to the brilliant Felicity Vallence for her encouragement, expertise, and boundless ingenuity. And an enormous, heartfelt, so-long-it’s-awkward hug to the lovely Lindsay Boggs, who is basically my fairy godmother. A million thanks for the magic you weave every day.

Thank you to my family, especially my dad for consistently steering me toward the career I was meant for, even when I really didn’t want to hear it. Oliver and Henry, my brilliant boys, I love you “infinity”—thank you for being patient with me when my mind was wandering and I had to leave LEGOs to go write something down real quick. Rob, you’re a marvel. Your faith and love and logistical wrangling are what make my writing possible. I will forever be grateful for all you’ve done to make my dream real.