To Sophie McKenzie, Melanie Edge, Gaby Halberstam, and Julie Mackenzie—friends and companions of the road—my ever-grateful thanks.
Thank you to my excellent Dustlands editors: Helen Thomas at Scholastic Children’s Books, Karen Wojtyla at Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Marion Lloyd. Thanks to Doubleday Canada for their wonderful support and encouragement; also Gallimard Jeunesse, S. Fischer Verlag, Otava, Gyldendal Norsk, and Raben & Sjögren and all at Aitken Alexander.
Special thanks to Gillie Russell and Andrew Beacham. I’m grateful to John McLay, Gill McLay and Julia Green for giving me a push when I needed it most.
Above all, thanks to Paul Stansall. For everything. Always.