I am grateful to my agent, Miriam Altshuler, and to my editor, Michelle Frey, who guided me so skillfully and waited so patiently for Barbara Anne to arrive and tell her story. Many thanks are also due to the team at Knopf, including Katrina Damkoehler, Ken Crossland, Artie Bennett, Lisa Leventer, and Marisa DiNovis.

A big thank-you to the kids at Green Lake School Age Care Program, whose daily requests for stories are my biggest inspiration.

Finally, I want to thank my family for their collective courage, dark humor, and steadfast love and support during the past year.