The Summer I Saved the World ... in 65 Days
Page 15
48. Said hi to Sariah at Jorie’s party.
49. Talked with Mom.
50. Marathon run with Eli (first kiss!).
51. Helped Eli cook spaghetti. (Side note: Jorie stole this one.)
52. Agreed to join art club with Sariah.
53. Fixed leaky pipe with Eli and Mr. Dembrowski.
54. Watered forget-me-nots.
55. Left thank-you note for Mr. D.
56. Tried to get Matt to talk to me.
57. Thomas said our neighborhood is the most exciting place in the world.
58. Didn’t tell on Matt.
59. Matt and I set table for family breakfast.
60. Told Matt to go play poker with his friends. He called me Nina green-a!
61. Got Thomas down from the ladder. Superhero bonding.
62. Eli came over to the good side.
63. Matt, Mom, and Dad talked.
64. Told Mom I love her. She said it too.
65. Homecoming.
If I did it, anyone can.
Acknowledgments
I started this story with a question: does doing good really do any good? Random acts of kindness are everywhere, but I wondered, do they really have an effect on people? Can small acts of goodness change our world? I also worried that the dizzying variety of electronic communication available at our fingertips was actually making families and neighborhoods more disconnected than connected. Out of these thoughts grew The Summer I Saved the World.
My enormous gratitude to Wendy Lamb, who urged me to go deeper and brought out the best in me and this story. In the early versions, I think she knew more about the story than I did! To Dana Carey, for her many reads and spot-on advice, and to Samantha Rodan for sharing her enormously helpful comments. To Heather Daugherty for her amazingly gorgeous cover design and Bara MacNeill for her meticulous copy editing. And to Alyssa Eisner Henkin, agent extraordinaire, who loved this book from the very start and saw its potential. I would happily do sixty-five good things (and more) for all of you!
To my favorite librarians (and friends), who have been there for me in so many ways: Sherri Bolen and Susie Pasini; I am indebted to both of you. And to my wonderful circle of family and friends: you inspire me in more ways than you realize.
Finally, to my husband, Ben, and my children, Rachel, Sam, and Cassie, who support me every day by listening, counseling, keeping me grounded, and always reminding me what’s most important.
To all of you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The answer to my question—does doing good really do any good—I will always hope, is a resounding and undeniable yes!
About the Author
MICHELE WEBER HURWITZ is the author of Calli Be Gold. She lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and three children. Visit her—and Nina’s neighborhood—at micheleweberhurwitz.com.