Jessica Arden Photography

J.J. (Jennifer) Johnson is a youth counselor turned young adult novelist.

J.J. grew up in Norwich, a small town in central New York State,
where she raced BMX bikes, danced ballet, worried too much,
read a lot, went into treatment for an eating disorder,
and spent summers along the creek in her backyard. 

J.J. graduated from Binghamton University in 1996.
In 2001, she earned a Master of Education from Harvard University,
with a concentration in Adolescent Risk and Prevention.

Before writing novels, J.J. counseled at-risk teens
and coordinated youth service programs such as
The Learning Web, Justice Summer, and Youth Advocacy.

She is the author of This Girl is Different (2011),
The Theory of Everything (2012),
and Believarexic (October 2015).
Her books have received numerous honors
and have been translated into six languages.

She lives with her husband, son, and dog in Durham, North Carolina.

J.J. loves echidnas, dance parties, and Star Wars.