Acknowledgments

Thank you to my editor, Martha Mihalick, for being a true partner in shaping this story. It is a joy and an honor to write with you.

Thank you to my agent, Alex Slater, for believing in me every step of the way. I’m so grateful to be on your team.

Thank you to the incredible people at Greenwillow Books. To Virginia Duncan for the caring and insightful comments, Tim Smith for indulging my debates over comma placement, Sylvie Le Floc’h for the gorgeous pages, and the entire marketing, publicity, and sales teams for working so hard to get this book and so many others into the hands of readers. And to artist Celia Krampien for the beautiful cover and interior art.

There are so many wonderful pediatric doctors and nurses who have brightened my toughest days. For specific medical advice on this book, I was fortunate to rely on Dr. Ann McCarthy and Dr. Vishnu Cuddapah. Any mistakes are mine alone.

Thank you to the librarians who hand my books to readers, the teachers who recommend them to students, the booksellers who present them to customers, and the young readers who write to me. Hearing from you makes me smile for days.

To my brothers, Alex and Ben Ende, all the sibling love in these pages goes out to you.

Endless hugs and kisses to my daughters: Ella, Liv, and Aven. You girls are the heart of everything I write. And to Winnie, the real-life Row who we love so very much.

This book is dedicated to my husband, Jeff. As everything I write should be.