Grateful thanks are due to The Society of Authors for the Authors’ Foundation Grant which supported the writing of this book. Please see www.societyofauthors.org for more information on the work of this wonderful organisation.

The first draft of the story was written when I took up the #100DaysOfWriting challenge, inspired by novelist Jenn Ashworth’s sharing of her own experience with it. I wouldn’t have managed my 100 Days without my dear friend Tara, who joined me.

Thank you to all my beta readers, including Rosie Beyfus, A.M. Dassu, Mustafa Dassu, Hanna Kratz, Arlo Lloyd and Raffy. Thank you to Tom and Rosie for letting me continue to borrow your names; neither Thom nor Rosa is as cool as you, the originals!

Thank you to all the eagle-eyed members of my writing group, Story Mill, whose advice, support and insight is 325invaluable: Sally Ashworth, Brianna Bourne, Tara Guha and Kate Sims. Thank you to all my local writer friends, including Melvin Burgess, Chloe Daykin, Bec Evans, Harry Heape, Susie Lloyd – you rock and I’m lucky to know you!

To Fiona Sharp and Durham Waterstones Children’s Book Group – thank you for your support, feedback and advice! I’m afraid I failed utterly in my homework, except I did sneak the words ‘fire dragon’ in there. Perhaps you’ll forgive me if I visit you again and bring better sweets?

Heartfelt thanks are due to all the amazing booksellers who have supported me. Thanks to all of you, near and far, including the amazing folk of Bookwagon, The Bookcase, The Book Corner, Bradford Waterstones, Deansgate Waterstones, Imagined Things, Kenilworth Books, The Little Bookshop Leeds, Read Holmfirth, Seven Stories Bookshop, Simply Books and Tales on Moon Lane.

Library professionals, I salute you! Thank you to all who champion children’s reading, especially Eileen Armstrong; Kirsty Fenn and all at Leeds Library Services; Alison Roberts and all at Calderdale Library Services.

Massive thanks to all the teachers and students who have welcomed me into their schools. I have loved travelling round the UK and hearing your ideas this year. Thank you, Susan Williams, for the teacher resources on my website. Thank you, Authors Aloud. And thank you to the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and the extraordinary Ros Bartlett.

Thank you to all the book reviewers and book bloggers who have taken the time to respond so thoughtfully to the 326world of Arcosi, including Gordon Askew, Fiona Noble, Pam Norfolk, Anna McKerrow at BookTrust, My Book Corner, Book Monsters, Scott Evans, Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books, Serendipity Reviews – I really appreciate your fantastic reviews and support.

To everyone who has written to me with their artwork or reviews: thank you so much! I am very grateful to you. Receiving your letters is a joy and I’ve started a new part of my website to share readers’ artwork, see lizflanagan.co.uk. I hope you enjoy this story too!

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THE DRAGONS WERE LOST AND FORGOTTEN, UNTIL NOW …