This book started with my own fear of gun violence. The fear of it is something that keeps me up late at night—worrying about my own kids, worrying about my readers.

Gun violence affects so many young people, regardless of their zip code or skin color. It is true that when tragedies occur in communities like Quinn and Cora’s, they often receive more attention than when tragedies happen in other less privileged communities, and that is not right. I want us to work together to make the world a safer place for all young people, no matter where they live.

I am frustrated with my and other grown-ups’ willingness to simply accept gun violence as a normal part of life. Our inability to come up with solutions that are bolder and more comprehensive than lockdown drills, which are often anxiety producing. We know the problem is multipronged, and instead of rising to the challenge, we have buckled because of its seeming impossible complexity.

This is a book about imagining the impossible. About the power in that imagining. About bumping up against the edge of what we believe could be possible and envisioning more. Envisioning better. Toward the end of the book, Cora asks her dad if he still believes in impossibly good things. He responds that he believes in Cora. And I believe in you. I hope you’ll join me in working toward a better and safer world. Progress can be frustratingly slow, but it can only happen if first we believe that it can.

If this book started with fear, it ended with love. Love for you, my reader. I want the world to be a better, safer place for you. As humans, love is our truest form of magic. I really believe that. Love, hope, and imagination can shape and change our world.

Change also begins with talking to one another, even if those conversations are difficult. It begins with sharing our fears, our frustrations, our love, and our ideas. I hope this book helps to open the conversation. I’m ready to listen to you.

Love,

Jasmine

Resources

To learn more about how to continue the conversation about gun violence, please visit:

www.momsdemandaction.org

www.everytown.org

www.bradyunited.org

www.sandyhookpromise.org

Acknowledgments

Heaps and heaps of gratitude to:

Brenda Bowen, thank you for your steadfast belief in my stories, and for encouraging me to take risks and be bold. Love to the whole wonderful team at the Book Group. Thanks also to Stefanie Diaz and everyone at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

Alessandra Balzer, thank you for your sharp insights, your patience, and your warmth. My books are so much better for it. I’m beyond lucky to work with you. Lots of love to everyone at Balzer + Bray, especially Caitlin Johnson. It’s truly such an immense honor to be published by you all.

The whole brilliant team at Harper Children’s, especially Suzanne Murphy, Andrea Pappenheimer, Kathy Faber, Kerry Moynagh, Nellie Kurtzman, Vaishali Nayak, Patty Rosati, Jacquelynn Burke, Sam Benson, Ann Dye, Katie Dutton, Stephanie Macy, Mimi Rankin, Laura Harshberger, Alice Wang, and Jenna Stempel-Lobell. Thank you for everything you do for my books. It never ceases to amaze me that a book only has one name on the cover, but it really should have several. I’m enormously grateful to all of you.