Undaunted

  Everyone at Scholastic, you do such an amazing job of getting books into young readers’ hands and I’m grateful for it both personally and for society at large. Your efforts make the world a better place. It’s an honor to work with you all. Plus, extra thanks to Christopher Stengel for designing my books — all of them. Seeing his gorgeous cover design for the first time is always one of my favorite moments of the publishing process.

  My critique partners, Joanna Volavka and Debbie Kraus, who gave me invaluable feedback on Undaunted. Extra love to Debbie for seeing me through four books now, being a dear friend, and never pulling her punches when giving notes. I couldn’t be more grateful.

  Merle Reskin for her unwavering support and friendship and for the use of the charmed Thatchitty Cottage. My muse loves it there.

  The Ragdale Foundation, which to me equals a productive writing retreat and the best summer camp ever, even though all four of my residencies occurred in the dead of winter. No matter the time of year, Ragdale is a magical place. While there, I always get lots written and get to know artists of all stripes, all against a background of idyllic prairie.

  My husband, Bob, who inspires me by continuing to wrangle with creative work even when he’s feeling the most stuck and for being all I could ever want in a partner. I’m buoyed every day, knowing that he’s in my corner.

  Declan, Vivienne, and Connor, who are the lights of my life, my beloved beta readers, and the reason I started writing for tweens and teens.

  My dad, Cornelius Moynihan — Connie, to his friends — who didn’t live to see me finish Undaunted but never doubted that I would. He read early drafts of all my books, methodically corrected my grammar, and excitedly discussed all the sci-fi elements in my work. Not surprising. He was a renowned scientist after all and the big geek who got me hooked on the genre at a really young age. I miss you, Dad. So very much.

  Finally, my readers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for waiting for Undaunted and just for being readers in general. Between us, you’re my very favorite sort of people.

  Kat Falls lives with her husband and three children in Evanston, Illinois, where she teaches screenwriting at Northwestern University. She is the author of Dark Life, Rip Tide, and Inhuman. Follow her online at katfalls.com.

  Copyright © 2019 by Kat Falls

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC PRESS, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

  First edition, April 2019

  Cover art © 2019 by Steve Stone

  Cover design by Christopher Stengel

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-63392-5

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication 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 the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.