Since publishing her first novel in 1979, Caroline B. Cooney has become a prolific and popular author of books for teenagers, publishing over sixty books in twenty years. From romances to mysteries, Cooney's books feature young protagonists struggling to come to terms with a wide range of concerns, from troubles in school to problems of identity, all told in a fast-paced, entertaining style. Her characters are easy for readers to identify with, for as Roger Sutton observed in Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Cooney "excels at conveying the not-knowingness of both one's own and other people's heartaches." While her novels often contain adventure, suspense, and realistic problems, they also provide readers with positive relationships and upbeat conclusions. Such works have made Cooney one of today's most popular writers for young adults.

Cooney grew up in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and enjoyed an ordinary, suburban childhood. "We lived on...