Mary Elizabeth Oneal, who writes under the family nickname Zibby, is best known as the author of acclaimed young adult novels that, according to Wendy Smith in Publishers Weekly, "exhibit a depth and complexity rare in any kind of fiction." Oneal's The Language of Goldfish, A Formal Feeling, and In Summer Light have been widely praised for their sensitive and perceptive portrayals of the complex emotions and problems of adolescents. Featuring teenage female protagonists, Oneal's stories deal with a variety of conflicts--puberty, sexual awareness, self-perception problems, the death of a parent--that her characters resolve on their way toward adulthood and independence. Throughout, Oneal focuses on the inner strength of her teen protagonists, which allows them to move forward with their lives. "All young adult fiction strives to answer the fundamental questions of adolescence: Who am I? Where do I fit in? What will I become"," explained Susan P...