A very wise woman once wrote, “It takes a village,” and never have I felt that truth more keenly than during the creation of this book. So, to start this long list of thank-yous, I’d like to acknowledge Hillary Rodham Clinton, a real-life superheroine who has inspired me in more ways than I can count. Thank you, Ms. Clinton, for proving that women—whether cis, trans, or otherwise—are unstoppable, despite a world that does its best every day to keep us down.

My eternal gratitude to my incredible editor, Aimee Friedman, for … well, literally everything. I’m a very lucky author to have found an editor who “gets me.” And huge thanks to David Levithan as well, for championing this book from the start.

Kate McKean, Queen of Literary Agents, remember that email you sent me over four years ago with the teensiest, tiniest nugget of an idea for this story? Look what we did! We made a book!

Thank you to everyone at Scholastic who has worked on this project along the way: Ellie Berger, Alan Smagler, Mindy Stockfield, Rachel Feld, Tracy van Straaten, Lizette Serrano, Emily Heddleson, Olivia Valcarce, Melissa Schirmer, Lindsay Walter-Greaney, and Nina Goffi.

Mellie’s story would not be what it is today without the insights of my phenomenal sensitivity readers. A gigantic thank-you to Mey Valdivia Rude, Annie Mok, Rachel Olivero, Parrish Turner, and Sharon Shattuck for your invaluable contributions.

Paul, thank you, as always, for being my cheerleader. With you by my side, I feel like I can achieve anything.

Susan Miller (aka Mom), Dara and Mellie’s story might not be about us, but in a way it also is. I’m so grateful to have your support in everything I do.

There are a lot of pretty cool dudes in my family. Thank you to Cynthia, Rachel, Peter, the Araujos, Sam C., Adrienne, Emily, Adam, and Amanda, just to name a few. To my cousin K, you are amazing. I truly hope our country starts doing better for you. #ProtectTransKids

Thank you to my author friends and non-author friends alike: Mary G. Thompson, Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar, Mindy Raf, Amanda Maciel, Kevin Joinville, Steven Shaw, Caron Levis, Dahlia Adler, Brandy Colbert, Colleen Mathis, Michael Armstrong, Sarah Doudna, Renia Shukis, Casey Cipriani, and Carolyn Spagnoletti.

Some of my closest friends are also the most brilliant writers I know. Thank you, Corey Ann Haydu, Caela Carter, Alyson Gerber, and Laurie Boyle Crompton for reading my stuff and always being excited and bearing with me while I unload my troubles on you. Amy Ewing, without your friendship and support, I’d probably give up on all the projects I start. And I definitely wouldn’t be a member of my hot sauce of the month club. Love you guys.

Some of my personal heroes happen to be trans women. Jazz Jennings, Marlo Mack and her daughter, Jenny Boylan, Janet Mock, Jen Richards, Laverne Cox, and Sarah McBride, I aspire to be half as cool and strong as you all are.

Finally, my dear friend Cristin Whitley was a bright light in the lives of all who knew her. This year, our world got a little dimmer. Cristin, this one’s for you.