My editor, Alessandra Balzer, who is as brilliant as she is kind. She saw the heart of this book and helped me reveal it. Every writer needs an Alessandra in her corner. I am so thankful she is in mine.
The amazing Kelsey Murphy, Viana Siniscalchi, Nellie Kurtzman, Jenna Lisanti, Megan Barlog, Caroline Sun, Ruiko Tokunaga, Josh Weiss, Mark Rifkin, Alexei Esikoff, Valerie Shea, Andrea Pappenheimer, Kerry Moynagh, Kathy Faber, Katie Fitch, Amy Ryan, Barb Fitzsimmons, and the rest of the team at Balzer + Bray and HarperCollins. Charlie and I are so lucky to have such enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and passionate people on our side.
Melissa Baumgart, my writing friend turned real-life friend, for your support, incredible insight, and ceaseless enthusiasm; Dee Romito, my very first writing friend—I am so thrilled we are celebrating our debut year together; and to Janet Sumner Johnson, for your keen eye and encouragement on this book.
My writing group—Ailynn Knox-Collins, Anne Cunningham, Tina Hoggatt, Heather Lehr, and Lily LaMotte. Pom-poms!
The Sweet Sixteens debut group—your support has been invaluable. Special thanks to Ruth Lehrer for our many, many emails! I am glad I can count you not only as a fellow writer but a friend.
Writing teacher extraordinaires Micol Ostow, Corey Ann Haydu, and Kurtis Scaletta. Thank you for being so giving of your encouragement, time, and writing knowledge. You taught me how to tell a better story. There are not enough words to thank you, but hopefully these are a start.
Craig Niemi at the Cincinnati Observatory. Thank you for answering my questions about the layout of the observatory and the telescopes housed there. While I have taken some liberties in the telling of this story, I hope that everyone will visit this Cincinnati gem.
Hank and Oliver—my four-legged writing buddies. Your unconditional love served as the inspiration for Ruby’s.
My former students at St. Brigid of Kildare School in Ohio. You are inspiring and smart and kind. I love writing books for kids like you.
My extended family. Special thanks to my mom: I had a childhood that was never short on books or love.
My husband, Kurt—for your love and your belief in me. I am so grateful for all of the memories we already share and I’m looking forward to the ones we still get to create together. You are the very best.
Finally, my dad and sister—this book is in memory of both of you. I just wish you could be here to read it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo by Monty Soungpradith
JENNIFER MASCHARI likes to write stories about kids who are brave. She lives in Ohio with her husband and her stinky (but noble) English bulldogs, Oliver and Hank. This is her debut novel. Learn more about Jennifer at www.jenmaschari.com.
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CREDITS
Cover art © 2016 by OLIVIER TALLEC
Cover design by KATIE FITCH
COPYRIGHT
Balzer + Bray is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF CHARLIE PRICE. Copyright © 2016 by Jennifer Maschari. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maschari, Jennifer.
The remarkable journey of Charlie Price / Jennifer Maschari. — First edition.
pages cm
Summary: “A boy must rescue his sister after she finds—and wants to stay—in an almost-world beneath her bed, where their mother is still alive”— Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-06-238010-4 (hardback)
EPub Edition © February 2016 ISBN 9780062380128
[1. Grief—Fiction. 2. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 3. Future life—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.1.M375Re 2016 2015015401
[Fic]—dc23 CIP
AC
15 16 17 18 19 CG/RRDH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FIRST EDITION
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The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price Page 18