I’m thrilled to be writing acknowledgments for a third time. First, I have to thank my family: my mom, my big brother Alejandro, his family, and my extended family in Mexico. I love you all. Big thanks to my friends, especially Mary Benedetto for being my beta reader. I also must thank my boyfriend, Kyle, and our rescue dog, Petunia. Thank you for making my life sweeter and supplying endless amounts of love. I’d be lost without you.
I’d also like to thank the people involved in the creation of this book. Thank you to my agent, Linda Pratt, and my great editorial team, Connie Hsu and Megan Abbate. Connie and Megan, you push me every time, and I’m a better author because of you. A huge thank-you to Kristie Radwilowicz for her wonderful collaboration on the covers. She’s the wizard behind the fantastic text design and composition. Thank you to everyone at Roaring Brook Press, including Jennifer Besser, Beth Clark, Michelle Gengaro, and Avia Perez. I have to also thank the marketing and publicity teams at Macmillan, especially Lucy Del Priore, Katie Halata, Melissa Croce, and Mary Van Akin. Thank you for championing this book and getting it into the hands of educators and librarians. You are the best!
Finally, I’d like to thank the readers who made the series possible. These are the educators, students, SCBWI, and the bloggers. I have to especially thank Pernille Ripp and the Global Read Aloud community. Having the opportunity to share Stella Díaz Has Something to Say with readers around the world was life changing. The experience made the world feel a little smaller and a little brighter. It’s also an experience I will never forget. Thank you!