Dear Edward

by Ann Napolitano

Edward is aware that Besa is staring at her daughter, trying to deliver a message without words. And he knows—maybe, a little bit—why he came here. To be with another kid, to have a break from the intense, watching, worried eyes of adults. Besa says in a bright, we-will-make-this-work tone, “Have you ever been to camp, Edward?” “This is weird,” Shay says.

When I started writing Dear Edward, I had this strange idea that there would be a girl Edward's age who lived next door, and that he would end up sleeping on her floor. I couldn't imagine how this would come to be, until Shay showed up on the page. She blew into the book fully formed. I was grateful for her then, and I'm grateful for her now.