To my group of book club girlfriends, who insisted that someday, they would read one of my books for book club. That meant a lot. I wasn't going to name them, but one recently asked to make sure I knew how to spell all their names. So in no particular order, and hopefully spelled correctly-Annmarie Algya, CY Suellentrop, Dawn Chisholm, Julie Newton, Vicki Kindel, Cara Horn, Chandi Bongers, Gigi Phares, Molly Cyphert, Angie Holladay, and Kathy Kryzer.

And to my little sister, Annmarie-because she's a lot of fun and she would be miffed if she didn't get special mention. But really because I will never be able to write about a s.p.u.n.ky young girl without her being two-thirds Annmarie.

Finally, there is a small but important group of people who bring joy to every day of my life. Luke, Paul, Grace, and Lucy Vanderpool. You're the best.

And really finally, to my husband, Mark. For being always true blue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Clare Vanderpool grew up reading books in unusual places: dressing rooms, the bathroom, walking down the sidewalk (sometimes into telephone poles), church, math cla.s.s. She suspects that some of her teachers knew she had a library book hidden behind her textbook, but the good ones didn't let on.

Clare holds degrees in English and elementary education and teaches a summer writing camp for kids. She loves recommending wonderful books to young readers.

Clare lives in Wichita, Kansas, with her husband and four children.