Grateful acknowledgement and thanks go to the fine folks at the Golden Duck Foundation and Reading for the Future, for inspiring me you write something for Young Folks, and to Robert Silverberg, Andre Norton, Robert Heinlein and others for inspiring me, much earlier.
And Bill Schafer of Subterranean Press for publishing the earlier, much shorter version of this story called Sky Horizon, a version that won the Hal Clement Award for best science fiction novel for Young Adults, in 2008. That version got substantial nibbles from Hollywood. Maybe this time...
And Scott Hampton for his terrific interior art and vivid cover for that SubPress edition.
And this round of sharp-eyed pre-readers, Steve Ruskin, Jennifer Claver, Roy Harvey, David Ivory, Jonathan Armstrong, Doug McElwain, Darrell Ernst and Duncan Cairncross, Steve Jackson, Matt Crawford and Bonnie Hartmeyer. And earlier Mark Grygier and Ari, Terren and Ben Brin.
And of course Cheryl Brigham, who also has wonderful stories to tell about youth and perseverance.
You too... go forth. Thrive and persevere..