Diana Peterfreund and Erica Ridley offered wonderful critiques, enthusiasm and motivation.

The Davis family understood when my head was in the clouds, and Jason Davis and JP

offered their wealth of biological and parasitological expertise to help me fine-tune the world of the book.

I am very proud of and honored by the support of my family. More thanks than I can express to my mother, Bobby Kidd, who always believed she'd be able to buy my book in a bookstore one day; to my father, Tony Ryan, who has always indulged me in long talks about world-building; and to my sisters, Jenny Sell and Chris Warnick, who have always been my biggest fans in whatever path I have chosen. Thank you and I love you!

Finally, to John Parke Davis, for somehow talking me into going to that first zombie movie, for holding my hand and warning me about the scary parts so that I could make it through and for spending countless hours afterward debating how to survive the zombie apocalypse. And above all, for telling me to write what I love, even if that meant writing about zombies. Without you, this book would not exist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Carrie Ryan is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. She lives with her writer/lawyer fiancé, two fat cats and one dumb puppy in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse. To learn more, please visit Carrie at www.carrieryan.com [http://

www.carrieryan.com].

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2009 by Carrie Ryan

All rights reserved.

Delacorte Press and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

www.randomhouse.com/teens [http://www.randomhouse.com/teens]

Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at www.randomhouse.com/teachers [http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers]

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ryan, Carrie.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth / Carrie Ryan. — 1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the Unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.

eISBN: 978-0-375-89197-7

[1. Horror stories. 2. Fantasy] I. Title.

PZ7.R9478For 2009 [Fic]—dc22 2008006494

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