To my amazing agent, Steven Chudney, for always pushing me to be the writer I hope to be. Thank you for your wise guidance in this career I once only dreamed of.
To Nancy Paulsen. Your superpowers of publishing are legendary. I would be grateful to simply read a book you found worthy. But to be able to call you my editor once again on this, our second middle-grade novel, is a gift. Thank you to you, your wise associate, Sara LaFleur, and all the other skilled and incredibly kind people who worked on this book.
To my writing “twin,” Laura Smith, for every draft you are willing to read and every comment you are thoughtful enough to give, I thank you. But more than that, I thank you for being the type of friend we all need and want to be.
Special thanks to all the teachers and librarians who get books into the hungry hands of readers. Truthfully, thank you isn’t enough for the job you do. I just hope you have a sneaky feeling about how awesome you are and how very much you are appreciated.
Thank you to my wonderful family and friends, both in person and online, who helped fill in the missing pieces of farm life in the 1940s for me, especially after my dad passed. Your details helped me see this place like I lived there.
Thank you to my incredible (adult) kids, Megan, Katey, Scott, Ryan, and Evan. Having a book come out into the world is magical and amazing and wonderful. But watching all your dreams take shape and begin to fly in this world is a blessing that brings me even more joy.
To my husband, Brad, thank you for walking this publishing journey with me—as well as this journey called life. There’s no one on this great big earth I’d rather walk this walk with.
And to my first storyteller, my mom, Joan McNutt, who told me the heartbreaking tale of her very own special lamb named Buster when I was growing up. Thank you for allowing me to share a piece of your childhood with the world.
Finally, to my dad, Tom McNutt—I will forever treasure the precious hours we passed in your hospital room as you and Mom recalled and revisited the farms of your youths. Though you are no longer here in person, you will live on in the details of my written words and, most importantly, forever in my heart.