Acknowledgments: Book Credits and Thanks

• The author expresses gratitude to Jennifer Besser, her first editor, for her insights into character and plot, which helped deepen the story of Max and Ahmed
• Alex Glass, the author's agent, is thanked for believing in the book from the start and being a champion for over a decade
• Jason Richman at United Talent Agency is appreciated for helping the author think about the story cinematically
• Rotem Moscovich, Abby Ranger, and Christian Trimmer are thanked for sharing their wisdom and enthusiasm in the early stages of the book
• Putnam team members, including Kate Meltzer, Nicole Wayland, Cindy Howle, Jen Loja, and Jocelyn Schmidt, are thanked
• Macmillan team members, including Allison Verost, Kathryn Little, Molly Ellis, Luisa Beguiristaín, Lucy Del Priore, Jennifer Sale, Morgan Dubin, Johanna Kirby, Katie Halata, and Nancy Elgin, are thanked for their enthusiasm and support
• Valentina Pop, Rami Midani, Caroline Hickey, Lyda Phillips, Karen Leggett Abouraya (with Tharwat Abouraya), and the Wise family (Jill, Russell, Raleigh, Nell, and Jack) helped shape the story
• Valentina shared firsthand knowledge of the refugee route, toured Molenbeek, connected with refugees, and helped devise realistic plot twists
• Valentina's reporting on the migrant crisis for The Wall Street Journal is recommended
• Rami Midani is appreciated for his accuracy and sensitivity from a Syrian perspective
• Bénédicte Jonnart shared family memories, historical documents, photos, and memorabilia, bringing her grandfather Albert Jonnart and the wartime history of Brussels to life
• Nicole (Colette) Dubuisson-Breuer related the story of her father, Jacques Breuer, and her memories of the war, with thanks to Louis Dubuisson, Baudouin Dubuisson, and Jean-Christophe Dubuisson
• Rehab Alhdad, Muhamedkher Alhjibrahim, Sabah Sheikh Fadhel, Moundher Dawoud, and Yazan Rajab shared memories and stories of life in Aleppo and experiences as Syrian refugees
• Sabah Fadhel cooked 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 that brought Kiskunhalas and the Hungarian detention centers into stark relief
• Jamal Khayar introduced the author to Moroccan culture
• Anahita Nickdast corrected the French and Jennifer Walsh Weyers, Jessica Barist Cohen, and Mouhamed Farouk translated oral interviews in French and Arabic
• Hendrik Verstraete at Petrens & Co. and Dr. Anne Ronse at the Botanic Garden Meise helped the author write about orchids accurately
• Celeste Rhoads and the staff of the American Library in Paris offered the chance to debut a chapter
• 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
• Teresa Cuvelier, Aida Radović, Katy Hull, and Katy Walters Brink provided encouragement
• Amie Hsia and Ben Harder cheered the author on across time zones
• Elaine Milosh and Ken Marsh, the author's parents, are thanked for teaching the value of storytelling and creativity
• Natalia Ostapiuk Milosh, John Milosh, and Leo Marsh were immigrants
• Julian E. Barnes, Sasha, and Natalia moved to Belgium and Sasha read the book in drafts
• Ecole du Bonheur welcomed the family with open arms
• Ralph Mayer and Albert Jonnart inspired the story

The author expresses gratitude to various individuals and teams for their contributions to the book. These acknowledgments span editors, agents, and team members across Putnam and Macmillan, recognizing their insights, support, and enthusiasm in shaping the story.