‘Come on, kiddo, you can come and watch me build your loft bed,’ says Dad. It takes me a second or two to take in what he’s saying.

‘Loft bed?’

Grins spread across my parents’ faces.

‘Up high?’

‘Yep. Like being in the trees,’ says Dad.

‘Or on a roof,’ adds Mum. ‘Might take you a while before you can climb the ladder and sleep in it, though.’

‘Thanks,’ I say, grinning madly back at them.

Then Dad nudges Mum with his elbow, knocking her off balance, and she ends up grabbing onto me and, for the first time in a long while, I don’t fight her hug. In fact, I turn and hug her right back.

Acknowledgements

My first thanks goes to my fantastic publisher, Kristina Schulz, who convinced me that Clem deserved another story, and to the readers of the first Clem book who wanted to know what happened next.

It took a while to find the heart of this book and, for helping me do that, a huge thanks goes to Emily Gale, who set the book, and me, on the right path more times than I can remember.

When I first started writing this book, I had dinner with some author friends. I whinged, they listened, and we talked ideas. Thanks to Simmone Howell, whose generous thoughts spawned one of the spines of this story.

The Secrets We Keep had an incredible team working on it, and I feel pretty blessed to have snaffled their talents again for this book. Thanks to editor Katie Evans, proofreader Kristy Bushnell, designer Jo Hunt, project editor Cathy Vallance, and Sandra Eterovic for her beautiful original illustrations.

Thank you to my astute early readers: Lola, Willeford and Evie. And thanks to Creative Victoria for funding the writing of this book.

When I started out, I had no idea that the book community would be so supportive. I’d particularly like to thank the fearless bunch I lunch with for all their wisdom, laughter and bubbles. Without you lot, I’d be so bored and so lonely.

And finally, thanks to my family, Aidan, Arlo and Evie, for dragging me out of my head when I’m writing and reminding me that everything is better when accompanied by chocolate, baking and a game of cards.

THE SECRETS WE KEEP

Nova Weetman

Shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize

Shortlisted for the ABIA Awards

Shortlisted for the Speech Pathology of Australia Book of the Year Awards

Notable Book in the CBCA’s Book of the Year Awards: Younger Readers

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a house burn, but it’s not like anything else …

Clem Timmins has lost it all – her house, possessions and clothes. Now living in a tiny flat with her dad, she has to go to a new school far from what she knows.