ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Long Road comes to you action-packed and thrilling thanks to the insightful notes from my great editors, Julie Scheina and Pam Garfinkel, who saw both the forest and the trees and knew exactly which branches and trunks to cut down. They and everyone else at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers have been incredibly dedicated to making this series the best it can be, and I am amazed every day by all the work they’ve done to make these books a reality.

Endless thanks must go to the team at the Inkhouse as well. Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer helped conceive a page-turner of a plot, then once again let me run wild to bring it to life. And Ruth Katcher was there every step of the way to help tame my unruly pages and turn them into a sleek manuscript. Having her experienced eye give my words a second look throughout the writing process was a lifesaver.

As always, I am so impressed by how Allen Douglas has brought Max, Rocky, and Gizmo to life in his illustrations. I think this might be my favorite cover art so far!

And finally, thank you to all the kids, parents, teachers, and librarians who have come to see me in person or have written me letters about how much you’ve enjoyed these books. Your enthusiasm and tales of your own dogs have provided more inspiration than I could have imagined!