Barnes, Jennifer Lynn 1984(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born c. 1984, in Tulsa, OK. Education: Graduated from Yale University, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Home—New Haven, CT. E-mail—golden_or_non@yahoo.com.

CAREER:

Writer.

WRITINGS:

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

Golden, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2006.

Platinum (sequel to Golden), Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2007.

Tattoo, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2007.

The Squad: Perfect Cover, Laurel Leaf Books (New York, NY), 2008.

The Squad: Killer Spirit, Laurel Leaf Books (New York, NY), 2008.

SIDELIGHTS:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes writes books about teenage girls who confront everyday problems regarding school, friendships, and romance, but with a twist. Some of her characters, such as Lissy James in Golden, have supernatural powers; some, such as the cheerleaders in "The Squad" series, are undercover government agents. Barnes has noted that while writing about teens who lead double lives, she led her own double life as a novelist and a student, having written several books while attending Yale University.

In her debut, Golden, protagonist and first-person narrator Lissy moves with her family from California to Oklahoma and wonders how she will relate to the students at her new high school. The most popular students are known as the "Goldens"; the others are the "Nons." Lissy runs afoul of the Goldens on her first day, and she also worries that her power might be revealed, which makes her feel like even more of an outsider. The women in her family all have superhuman abilities; hers is to see people's auras, the color of which indicates their character. She sees that her attractive math teacher has a colorless aura, meaning he has done something evil—possibly murder. Lissy is drawn into a mystery that endangers her and her family, and she eventually learns to accept herself and her power.

Some reviewers praised Barnes's integration of the paranormal elements into the standard tale of the new girl in town. "Like the best of young adult fantasy, it deals with everyday issues that the average teen faces while adding a supernatural element to the mix," related Jessica Wong in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. A Publishers Weekly contributor found Golden to be "upbeat yet haunting," predicting it would "grab readers with its clever, original twist." A Kirkus Reviews critic, meanwhile, pronounced the novel "a well-balanced blend of fast-moving fantasy and light, playful chick-lit."

The sequel, Platinum, is told from the viewpoint of one of the Goldens, Lilah, who, since the events of the previous book, has discovered she also has an unusual power, which is seeing other people's memories. She is especially troubled by recurring visions of a good-looking boy; the sightings always involve death. Although Lilah stands above Lissy in the school's social order, she seeks Lissy's help, as well as that of Lissy's equally gifted sister, Lexie, to determine what the spectral boy is trying to tell her so she can do something to help. "The plot, the characters, and especially Lilah herself will appeal to readers," remarked Cara Chancellor in Kliatt. A Kirkus Reviews commentator thought knowledge of Golden would be useful but not crucial to readers' enjoyment of Platinum, and summed up the latter as "fast-paced fun."

Tattoo introduces a different set of teen girls: narrator Bailey and three of her friends, who develop supernatural powers when they get temporary tattoos at their local mall. They then become involved with otherworldly entities who are battling to rule the human world. The story is complicated but accessible and funny, some critics noted. Even with its "complexities," the tale is "easy enough to follow," observed Debbie Carton in Booklist, while a Publishers Weekly reviewer related that there are "some fun moments, despite the far-out premise." A Kirkus Reviews contributor found the girls, other than Bailey, a bit stereotypical, leading to "predictable actions and dialogue." Kliatt critic Claire Rosser, however, described the characters as "authentic," adding that while adults may be jarred by the book's mix of "mythic language" and "mall speak," teens most likely will not.

The first two books in "The Squad" series were published in early 2008. In The Squad: Perfect Cover, Toby Klein, a computer hacker who disdains school activities, is recruited to bring her talents to the Bayport High cheerleading squad. The members of the squad are actually secret government agents. In The Squad: Killer Spirit, Toby becomes a favorite for homecoming queen in the midst of a dangerous mission. Barnes told an interviewer for the online site Slay Ground that this series has something in common with her previous work: "Secret agenthood is full of gadgets, gizmos, twists, and turns that are every bit as fantastical as the paranormal…. I love to mix the ordinary and the over-the-top extraordinary."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2007, Debbie Carton, review of Tattoo, p. 78.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October, 2006, Karen Coats, review of Golden, p. 55; March 2007, April Spisak, review of Tattoo, p. 284.

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, April 2007, Jessica Wong, review of Golden, p. 612.

Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2006, review of Golden, p. 673; December 1, 2006, review of Tattoo, p. 1217; August 1, 2007, review of Platinum.

Kliatt, July, 2006, Claire Rosser, review of Golden, p. 23; November, 2006, Claire Rosser, review of Golden, p. 26; January, 2007, Jodi L. Israel, review of Golden, p. 44; March, 2007, Claire Rosser, review of Tattoo, p. 24; September, 2007, Cara Chancellor, review of Platinum, p. 27.

Library Media Connection, October, 2006, Patricia J. Heasley, review of Golden, p. 64.

Publishers Weekly, August 7, 2006, review of Golden, p. 61; January 8, 2007, review of Tattoo, p. 53.

School Library Journal, October, 2006, Rebecca M. Jones, review of Golden, p. 147; January, 2007, Sharon Rawlins, review of Tattoo, p. 123.

Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2007, Sarah Squires, review of Tattoo, p. 60.

ONLINE

Children's Bookwatch,http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ (October 1, 2006), review of Golden.

Curled Up with a Good Kid's Book,http://www.curledupkids.com/ (January 12, 2008), Jilian Vallade, review of Platinum.

International Reading Association Web site,http://www.reading.org/ (January 12, 2008), Nan Brinker, review of Tattoo.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes Home Page,http://www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com (January 12, 2008).

My Shelf,http://www.myshelf.com/ (January 12, 2008), Jan Fields, review of Platinum.

Paperback Reader,http://www.paperbackreader.net/ (August 23, 2006), L.J. Schmidt, review of Golden.

Random House Web sitehttp://www.randomhouse.com/ (January 12, 2008), brief biography of Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Slay Groundhttp://slayground.livejournal.com/ (January 12, 2008), interview with Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Trashionista,http://www.trashionista.com/ (September 1, 2007), review of Golden.