“Readers will never look at high school―or life―the same.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Smart first novel…Johnson reveals a broad spectrum of perspectives through her characters’ differing sentiments, motivations, and opinions.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Johnson’s fun, activist-minded debut has a close cousin in Jamila Stevenson’s The Latte Rebellion (2010). Evie is a strong yet vulnerable heroine whose intellectual bent and sense of self will remind readers that, as historian Laurel Thatcher Urlich said, ‘Well-behaved women rarely make history.’” ―Booklist

“The objections Evie raises and the relationship hits she takes because of them will resonate with the target audience; these are the age-old problems with schools and other institutions in a democratic society, and this exploration of the means of redress, while pat and purposive, will surely inspire discussion.” ―Children’s Book Council

“At once you’ll want to be Evie’s champion, and readers may even absorb some literary tidbits worth hanging on to along the way. JJ Johnson is an author whose writing is both fresh and worth taking notice of…” ―Baker and Taylor

“Books about high school tend either to be about peer politics and romance or about the injustice of oppressive adult systems. This book combines both plot types, intelligently and humorously…” ―Parents’ Choice

“Both confident and temperate, [JJ Johnson’s] writing never moves too far into any one extreme and manages simplicity without tediousness…refreshing…” ―Florida Times-Union

“Readers will easily relate to Sarah’s use of cynicism as a defense mechanism―her sharp-witted voice sets the tone for a story that’s truly tragicomic.” ―Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Sarah’s snappy yet pithy observations will appeal to teens working on their own theories about life.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“The doodle-illustrated pages with Sarah’s theories about everything…along with Sarah’s nearly constant snarkiness, make this a story with which most teens can identify, even if they have not lost a close friend.” ―School Library Journal

“Where The Theory of Everything stood out for me was in how deliberate the voice was in accurately capturing everything Sarah was feeling… As a result, Sarah felt more real and current to me than perhaps any other character I’ve read this year, her story leaping off the page to lodge a place in my head and heart.” ―Blogging for YA

“What I liked best was how Sarah took responsibility for her own recovery. She makes an effort not to be so snarky, she tries to reach out to other people instead of pushing them away, and she really works at being a better person.” ―Confessions of a Bibliovore

“Johnson deftly blends humor and grief in this story… The Theory of Everything keeps readers guessing―and laughing―and crying―to the last page.” ―Cybils

“Johnson delicately unravels the accidental and peculiar death of Jamie while introducing us to a complex and completely hilarious character in Sarah. This snarky and endearing girl ropes you into her heart quickly with her combination of Zoloft-infused wit and wisdom… Johnson successfully illustrates the struggles of a teen dealing with depression while still battling the harsh criticism of her peers. The characters in Johnson’s novel are rich with small town flavor and it is easy to see why she revisited the same setting in her second novel.” ―The Pirate Tree

“It’s a powerful story with a snarky main character that will leave you in stitches and tears.” ―Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers