ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you, first off, to you, dear reader, for picking up this book and sharing in Mei’s story. I hope I was able to show some of you that you’re not alone.
Kathleen Rushall, literary agent extraordinaire: Thank you for your wisdom, hard work, and endless optimism. Thank you for your spot-on revision notes, for taking risks with me, and for prioritizing my desire to keep this book authentic to my experiences. I feel like I can do anything with you on my side!
Jen Ung, my exceptional, zuì yōuxiù editor: You are such a perfect fit for me and this book, I sometimes think I wished you into existence. Thank you for bringing out the best in these characters, for championing this and other diverse books with so much heart, for being a dream to work with.
Thank you to the Simon Pulse team for your enthusiastic response from day one. I knew immediately that my book had found not just a publishing house but its home. Mara Anastas, thank you for your passion, your brilliance, and for everything you’ve done for this book. I am so grateful to the sales, marketing, and publicity teams. Special thanks to Liesa Abrams, Jodie Hockensmith, Nicole Russo, Vanessa DeJesus, Catherine Hayden, Lauren Hoffman, Amy Hendricks, Chelsea Morgan, Penina Lopez, Stacey Sakal, Kayley Hoffman, Christina Pecorale, Emily Hutton, Michelle Leo, Anthony Parisi, Amy Beaudoin, Janine Perez, and Anna Jarzab.
Sarah Creech, brilliant designer: Thank you for creating a cover and jacket that make me smile and feel fuzzies every time I look at them. They capture Mei and the book better than I could have dreamed! Thank you to Steph Baxter and Jill Wachter for your contributions to the gorgeous cover! And thank you, Tom Daly, for the gorgeous interior design!
Kim Yau, fantabulous TV/film agent: Thank you for believing in this story and for your passion. I’m so excited to work with you!
Thank you to the wonderful friends who made this book possible and who have left their footprints in these pages: Susan Blumberg-Kason, for your advice, endless support, and all your help with this manuscript. I’m so glad I picked up your book and reached out on Twitter. At the time, I had no idea I’d be making a lifelong friend. Lauren Lykke, for being my first writer friend and critique partner, and for squealing with me, dancing with me, and being one of my favorites. Rachel Lynn Solomon, for being my Simon Pulse sister, for our brainstorming sessions, your spot-on feedback, your constant support, and all the laughs! Meredith Ireland, for riding this out with me and for your editorial eye. Eva Chen, Melissa Ong, and Michele Margolis, you’re the best beta readers and friends I could ask for! Lizzie Cooke, Samira Ahmed, Jilly Gagnon, Maddy Colis—you’ve made Chicago feel even more like home. A special hug to Claribel Ortega for your generosity and support, always. Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, for being the first two in the industry to believe in me (and Mei) and for your priceless wisdom along the way. A shout-out to Zoraida Córdova, who so kindly helped me with my cover reveal—thank you! Janice Zawodny, for showing me the beauty of dance and making me fall in love with it in a way I never thought possible. Thank you to the friends who supported me when I decided to change careers—you know who you are!
The Electric Eighteens, for your advice and encouragement. Class2K18, for your friendship and promotional help. The Kidlit AOC group, for your support and commitment to diversity. The We Need Diverse Books organization, for all the important work you do. Team Krush, you are as supportive as you are talented, and I’m proud to be a part of this loving family. Hugs and Kisses to ChiYA & my Awesome Authors Support Group.
Thank you to the lovely folks who were kind enough to read pages and provide feedback throughout this process, including: Whitley Abell, Christa Heschke, Jen Linnan, Sandy Lu, Myrsini Stephanides, Janine Le, Ella Kennen, Ronni Davis Selzer, Lisa Schunemann, Gracie West, Rachel León, Tamara Mataya, Roselle Lim, Katie McCoach, Naomi Hughes, Kevin Winn, Laura Heffernan, the AYAP Workshop.
Thank you so much, Tong Chen, Youqin Wang, and Jin Zhang, for your help with the pinyin in this novel and for not asking why I had so many phrases about poop. Thank you, Koichiro Ito, for verifying the Japanese.
A huge thank-you to the wonderful librarians, booksellers, bloggers, and teachers out there putting books into the hands of readers who need them. An extra hug to the Chicago indie bookstores who have been so welcoming and supportive! And a special thank-you to Franny Billingsley, who I’m honored to call a friend, and Rachel Strolle, whose love of books is inspiring.
And a loving thank-you to my family: my grandparents, for their love, support, and stories. Dan and Matt, for helping me find the humor in stinky tofu, shrimp oil, and old Chinese songs growing up. Remember how we used to lock ourselves in a room, towels stuffed under the door, whenever Mom and Dad cooked stinky tofu?
Mom and Dad, for supporting my dreams and education. Oh, and thanks for the material. ;) Mom, I’m so grateful this book brought us so close. I don’t know what I’d do without your support and love. Thank you for helping me with this book and for sharing your experiences and thoughts. I’m so happy I know you, really know you, now.
Anthony, there are no words for me to tell you what you mean to me. Thank you for believing in me before I did. For inspiring me. For reading a thousand drafts. For loving Mei like I do. For loving me more than anyone deserves. And of course, thank you for putting a roof over my head and feeding me and all that other important stuff while I typed-typed-typed into the night. You are my home, my hero, and my better half. *hip-level wave* (It works, people!)