I’ve often thought the acknowledgments section should be renamed something like “The White Pages of Gratitude” because a book is made possible only by the help and determination of so many who deserve to be thanked, but their long list of names may read a bit like the phone book. For the sake of all those trees we mentioned earlier, I’ll keep it brief. You have studying to do, after all.
I must start at the beginning by thanking my former students at Northern and Jordan High Schools, who were gracious enough to launch me into my teaching career, giving me all sorts of fodder and inspiration to initially develop this material as a handout. Some of you will find your stories here. While you were the inspiration for this book, my students enlisted in the US Army in Seoul, Korea, at Yongsan Garrison, Camp Kim, Camp Coiner, Camp Red Cloud, and Camp Casey, gave me an even greater dedication to the project; I am grateful to you most importantly for your service to our country but also for insisting that my simple study handout was timely and greatly needed, encouraging me to develop it into this book.
If my students were the heart behind the book, my colleagues, agent, and editors were the hands. An immeasurable thank you to Brian Cooper, Jett Parsley, Hollace Selph, and Shayne Goodrum for equipping and encouraging me as a teacher, especially in those early days when my naïve idealism was probably nauseating. A super-huge “Roerig’s World” thank you to Todd Roerig for introducing me to Sandra Bullard, and combining your forty years of teaching experience to suggest improvements for this book, making it “cake;” thank you to students Dax Roerig and Erin Bullard for your fresh perspectives on the book as well. I send armfuls of gratitude to Jen Nelson and her freshmen at Overlake High School, who made chapter three a class project and sent back lots of great feedback. Thanks, also, to Ann Logsdon for your expert feedback on learning disabilities in the final chapter of this book as we neared publication. Thank you to Rita Rosenkranz for your sophisticated professionalism in helping this book meander through a forest of contracts and find its way. I am especially grateful to have Chris Kalb adding his unique artistic wit to this project after admiring his work for many years. A special thank you to my editor, Veronica Randall, for your creativity and skill at capturing the vision for this book and pushing it to the next level, keeping your sense of humor (and mine) intact all the while. And, thanks again to Aaron Wehner, Colleen Cain, Ashley Thompson, freelance copyeditor Leslie Baylor, and the friendly folks at Ten Speed Press and, now, Random House/Crown, who have welcomed me on yet another venture onto the bookshelf.
While all these people helped bring this book to the page, none were as instrumental or deserve greater thanks than my husband, Joshua. It seems like all authors thank their spouses in some way, but truly I would not have had the endurance to develop and publish this book were it not for the tireless support and freedom you have given me to pursue my best work. You have made me the happiest of women.
And finally, thanks to you, dear reader, for allowing me into your world and inviting me on your scholastic journey. May your work fill you with great satisafaction and may all your hard efforts lead to doors swinging wide with opportunity.