Featuring strong, independent female teen protagonists, Hesse’s books are based on the lives of real people in historical settings, dealing with tough issues of responsibility, integrity, loyalty, commitment, and prejudices in friendships and family. Hesse’s teenage protagonists face decisions and challenges that cause inner turmoil; this turmoil and the ways they choose to overcome it cause each character to grow in her thinking about and reacting to life’s situations. Interviews with Hesse and her publisher with details about how she writes, researches, creates book topics and characters, and weaves real-life experiences into all of her stories are included.