The author of over fifty books for young readers, Carolyn Meyer has achieved notable success in both nonfiction and fiction. She has written numerous well-received books based on her encounters with Eskimos, members of Amish religious groups, rock `n' roll bands, and the peoples of South Africa, Northern Ireland, and Japan. Additionally, she has also produced a number of young adult novels, including award-winners such as C. C. Poindexter, Denny's Tapes, Where the Broken Heart Still Beats, and White Lilacs. Meyer is also the author of the Bantam "Hotline" series about high schoolers who staff a counseling hotline and confront such strong issues as teen suicide and drug abuse.

As Meyer once noted, she grew up bookish and shy. "Status in the classroom wasn't my problem," she recalled. "Status on the playground was another matter. I couldn't do ANYTHING, like catching a ball or hitting it, or running...