Called "one of the most popular young adult writers on the scene" by Book Report contributor Miriam Rinn, prolific author of young-adult and middle grade novels Susan Beth Pfeffer has garnered praise for her handling of controversial subjects within the dramatic novel format. A Publishers Weekly critic, for instance, called the author "a natural storyteller with an acute ear" in a review of Whatever Words You Want to Hear, a realistic tale of teenage romance. Other novels take a lighter view of life. In Children's Book Review Service critic Glenda Broughton's opinion, Pfeffer's What Do You Do When Your Mouth Won't Open" is "another delightful story," this one about a twelve year old who, though terrified of public speaking, finds her courage when she has to present an essay at a school contest. "Probably lots of kids will identify with [the protagonist's] problems and cheer her strength and...