Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

• The author expresses gratitude to numerous individuals and groups who contributed to the book.
• Jennifer Besser, the author's first editor, provided insights into character and plot.
• Alex Glass, the author's agent, championed the book from its inception.
• Jason Richman at United Talent Agency helped with the cinematic aspects of the story.
• Rotem Moscovich, Abby Ranger, and Christian Trimmer shared their wisdom and enthusiasm.
• The team at Putnam, including Kate Meltzer, Nicole Wayland, Cindy Howle, Jen Loja, and Jocelyn Schmidt, are thanked.
• The Macmillan team, including Allison Verost, Kathryn Little, Molly Ellis, Luisa Beguiristaín, Lucy Del Priore, Jennifer Sale, Morgan Dubin, Johanna Kirby, Katie Halata, and Nancy Elgin, are appreciated for their support.
• Insightful readers like Valentina Pop, Rami Midani, Caroline Hickey, and others helped shape the story.
• Valentina Pop shared firsthand knowledge of the refugee route and connected the author with refugees, her reporting in The Wall Street Journal about the migrant crisis is recommended.
• Rami Midani is thanked for his accuracy and sensitivity in reading from a Syrian perspective.
• Bénédicte Jonnart shared her family's memories and historical documents related to Albert Jonnart and wartime Brussels.
• Nicole (Colette) Dubuisson-Breuer recounted the story of her father, Jacques Breuer, and her own war memories.
• Louis Dubuisson, Baudouin Dubuisson, and Jean-Christophe Dubuisson are thanked for enriching the interview.
• Rehab Alhdad, Muhamedkher Alhjibrahim, Sabah Sheikh Fadhel, Moundher Dawoud, and Yazan Rajab shared their experiences as Syrian refugees from Aleppo.
• Sabah Fadhel is also thanked for cooking a Syrian dinner.
• Abdulahi Abdulkadir Omar shared his story of arriving in Belgium in 2015 as an unaccompanied minor.
• Elke Zander, Barbara Winn-Hagelstam, and Amy Anderson helped connect the author within the refugee community.
• Sofia Mahjoub at Child Focus educated the author on the challenges of undocumented minors in Europe.
• Semma Groenendijk at Minor-Ndako shared her experience working with undocumented minors in Belgium.
• András Léderer at the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights shared reporting on Kiskunhalas and Hungarian detention centers.
• Jamal Khayar introduced the author to Moroccan Belgian culture.
• Anahita Nickdast corrected the French in the book.
• Jennifer Walsh Weyers, Jessica Barist Cohen, and Mouhamed Farouk translated oral interviews in French and Arabic.
• Hendrik Verstraete at Petrens & Co., a fifth-generation orchid nursery, and Dr. Anne Ronse at the Botanic Garden Meise helped with orchid accuracy.
• Celeste Rhoads and the American Library in Paris are thanked for the book chapter debut opportunity.
• Jennifer Dalrymple and Luis Roth introduced the author to a literary community.
• Amy Huntington and the Performing Arts Forum (PAF) in France provided a productive retreat.
• Amy and fellow PAF writers helped brainstorm the book's title.
• Teresa Cuvelier, Aida Radović, Katy Hull, and Katy Walters Brink provided encouragement and support.
• Amie Hsia and Ben Harder offered encouragement across time zones.
• The author's parents, Elaine Milosh and Ken Marsh, taught the value of storytelling and creativity.
• The author is indebted to late grandparents, Natalia Ostapiuk Milosh, John Milosh, and Leo Marsh, who immigrated to America.
• Julian E. Barnes is thanked for moving to Belgium and supporting the book.
• The author's children, Sasha and Natalia, are thanked for adapting to a new country, language, and school.
• Sasha is particularly thanked for reading drafts and correcting cultural misunderstandings.
• Ecole du Bonheur is thanked for welcoming the family and epitomizing Belgian kindness.
• Ralph Mayer and Albert Jonnart are thanked for inspiring the story with their courage.