Golden

Fifteen-year-old Felicity Shannon James ("Lissy") is upset with her family's decision to move from her beloved California to a small town in Oklahoma. It seems that the Sight ("an ability to see what others could not") prevents Lissy from having a normal life. All the women in her mother's family have some version of the Sight. Lissy's gift (which she hates) allows her to see auras, the "small moving quantity of colored light" that surrounds a person. On her first day at her new school, things don't go as smoothly as she'd hoped. When Lissy meets wonderful, handsome Mr. Kissler, the math teacher, she becomes physically ill. Mr. Kissler's aura has no color—he's Garn, which means that he has done something horrible, such as committed murder. What has he done? Are the students in danger? A recurring dream and a visitation from the First Seer give Lissy clues that help her unlock Kissler's secret. First-time author Barnes's upbeat yet haunting novel about being the new kid in school will likely grab readers with its clever, original twist. Ages 12-up. (July)