Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Scholastic Inc.
Pages
252
Description
Things for Kayla progress from bad, as in being told her computer grades disqualify her from an art scholarship, to worse, when she refuses to accept an identification bar code tattoo on her seventeenth birthday.
Series
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
252 p.; 6.75 inches
ISBN
0439395623 / 9780439395625
Similar in this library
Lexile
L
User reviews
LibraryThing member nm.fall07.jm
I like this book there weren't any slow parts that I can rememeber. It was a whole lot better then what I thought it would be
LibraryThing member librarybrandy
A cliche idea--people can have all of their identification, medical & financial records, etc, encoded into a bar code that gets tattooed on their wrist. Most people think it's great; a few dissenters worry about the information being stored in it and the freedom they're giving up in exchange for
*LJ Adlington's Diary of Pelly D, which while not great was better than this POS; Janet McNaughton's Secret Under My Skin, for examples.
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some vague promise of "safety." Poor execution in clumsy, exposition-heavy dialog and only the slimmest character development. Not recommended for anyone for any reason--there are plenty of other books* who use this same idea and do it better.*LJ Adlington's Diary of Pelly D, which while not great was better than this POS; Janet McNaughton's Secret Under My Skin, for examples.
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LibraryThing member fiveforsilver
Warning: Review contains spoilers.
The next step beyond drivers' licenses and credit cards: a personal bar code tattooed to your wrist.
The government, the media, food production, schools, the internet, pretty much everything you can think is controlled by one corporation - Global-1 - and now they
I had high expectations for this book, both from what I had heard about it and from the description I read. Unfortunately, instead of being a tense SF book, halfway through it turned into a weird mix of paranormal and science fiction that just didn't mesh well. Throw in some bad science (the old "we only use a small percentage of our brains" rubbish and some fundamental misconceptions about adaptation and evolution) and it was hard to know quite what to think.
The basic premis is solid and the story could be fantastic: Kayla is about to turn 17 - the age when people are first allowed to get the bar code tattoo - but she isn't excited about it. When her parents got theirs, suddenly her dad's job started went south as he was passed over for expected raises and promotions, and he started getting depressed and drinking. Her mom became irritable and distant. Everyone Kayla knows who gets the tattoo seems to change, or something to do with them changes.
Kayla eventually discovers that the bar codes contain, among other things, a person's genetic information: her dad's file contains references to potential for scizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism, and obviously his employee had had access. She also learns that her mom - a maternity nurse - had discovered that "genetically inferior" children were being killed before they even left the ward. Kayla refuses to have the tattoo and joins Decode, the resistance movement.
Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Right up until they bring in the telepathy and telekenesis and premenotions, the Native American shaman, and the people trying to contact aliens with their minds. These things drastically decrease the effect of the story, as well as bringing up the previously mentinoed bad science. "Adaptation" and "evolution" don't happen in a few years (or even less) simply because people don't live with the rest of society anymore, and they don't happen to individual people anyway. And we already use all of our brains.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. A story that could have been very interesting and address real issues being faced today got lost in the pseudoscience and mysticism, which was jarring and seemed out of context. I will not be rereading or recommending this book.
The next step beyond drivers' licenses and credit cards: a personal bar code tattooed to your wrist.
The government, the media, food production, schools, the internet, pretty much everything you can think is controlled by one corporation - Global-1 - and now they
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want to control people, too. The bar code tattoos are the next big thing, making everything from hospital visits to shopping transactions that much easier. But how do you know what information is in your file, who has access to it, and what they do with it?I had high expectations for this book, both from what I had heard about it and from the description I read. Unfortunately, instead of being a tense SF book, halfway through it turned into a weird mix of paranormal and science fiction that just didn't mesh well. Throw in some bad science (the old "we only use a small percentage of our brains" rubbish and some fundamental misconceptions about adaptation and evolution) and it was hard to know quite what to think.
The basic premis is solid and the story could be fantastic: Kayla is about to turn 17 - the age when people are first allowed to get the bar code tattoo - but she isn't excited about it. When her parents got theirs, suddenly her dad's job started went south as he was passed over for expected raises and promotions, and he started getting depressed and drinking. Her mom became irritable and distant. Everyone Kayla knows who gets the tattoo seems to change, or something to do with them changes.
Kayla eventually discovers that the bar codes contain, among other things, a person's genetic information: her dad's file contains references to potential for scizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism, and obviously his employee had had access. She also learns that her mom - a maternity nurse - had discovered that "genetically inferior" children were being killed before they even left the ward. Kayla refuses to have the tattoo and joins Decode, the resistance movement.
Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Right up until they bring in the telepathy and telekenesis and premenotions, the Native American shaman, and the people trying to contact aliens with their minds. These things drastically decrease the effect of the story, as well as bringing up the previously mentinoed bad science. "Adaptation" and "evolution" don't happen in a few years (or even less) simply because people don't live with the rest of society anymore, and they don't happen to individual people anyway. And we already use all of our brains.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. A story that could have been very interesting and address real issues being faced today got lost in the pseudoscience and mysticism, which was jarring and seemed out of context. I will not be rereading or recommending this book.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
This is the first book in the bar code duology by Suzanne Weyn. It was a very good book, with engaging characters and a fast-paced plot that made the book difficult to put down.
In the year 2025 almost everyone has a bar code tattoo. It is not law yet, but most people get a bar code when they turn
Overall this was a wonderful book. The characters are engaging. The premise is interesting, and Weyn takes it to lengths that are horrifying and frighteningly realistic. The pace of the book is relentless, the action never stops and you are pulled from disaster to disaster. For such a short book there is a ton packed in here both in action and in thought provoking material. Has this type of thing be written about before? Yeah, it sure has. Just think about Scott Westerfield's Uglies series and you have an example right there (of course that was published after this book) another example would be the Tripods series by John Christopher or some of Neal Stephenson's works. Still, Weyn does a great job making the story realistic and has the story centered around a young woman which was interesting.
I do have a couple pet peeves about this story though. These are mainly personal and of a technical nature. I have unfortunately worked with bar codes and RFIDs personally and I know that you can only hold a small amount of data on a 2D bar code like Weyn describes. With a little tiny bit of research Weyn would have known this. I realize it's a fantasy but it bothered me. The other thing that bothered me was the character's inconsistent technological know how. At one point Kayla says, "Send me your new web address, I'll e-mail you all the time." Okay, this is just odd I mean a web address is for a website, not to email someone. Really, you shouldn't screw that up in a sci-fi techno novel like this. The last thing that bothered me was when Kayla was at a house initially she was all worried about the government being able to track her computer use. Then later when she is hiding out with a rebel group, she decides to use the dusty old computer there. Then when someone tracks it she is, uh duh, I didn't realize that someone could track me here. Wow, that is just completely inconsistent!
Besides the above complaints, I enjoyed the book. I just tried to shrug the techno inconsistencies aside. This is a quick read and overall an interesting and fun read. I wish the small inconsistencies had been fixed, then this book would have been spectacular. Still, I am excited to read the next (and last) book "The Bar Code Rebellion".
In the year 2025 almost everyone has a bar code tattoo. It is not law yet, but most people get a bar code when they turn
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seventeen. At a few days to her birthday Kayla is trying to decide what to do; should she get the tattoo? See the thing is that her dad got the tattoo seven months ago and since then he has been a different person, depressed and miserable. Kayla wonders if the bar code has something to do with it. She ends up getting involved with a rebellious faction called Decode that is fighting against the bar code. Unfortunately the bar code is on its way to becoming law. The president of the US is part of the corporation doing the bar code tattoo and this corporation runs everything from the schools to the hospitals. What will Kayla choose? As she notices society getting stranger and stranger and notices more weird things happening to both the un-tattoed and the tattooed she is uncertain.Overall this was a wonderful book. The characters are engaging. The premise is interesting, and Weyn takes it to lengths that are horrifying and frighteningly realistic. The pace of the book is relentless, the action never stops and you are pulled from disaster to disaster. For such a short book there is a ton packed in here both in action and in thought provoking material. Has this type of thing be written about before? Yeah, it sure has. Just think about Scott Westerfield's Uglies series and you have an example right there (of course that was published after this book) another example would be the Tripods series by John Christopher or some of Neal Stephenson's works. Still, Weyn does a great job making the story realistic and has the story centered around a young woman which was interesting.
I do have a couple pet peeves about this story though. These are mainly personal and of a technical nature. I have unfortunately worked with bar codes and RFIDs personally and I know that you can only hold a small amount of data on a 2D bar code like Weyn describes. With a little tiny bit of research Weyn would have known this. I realize it's a fantasy but it bothered me. The other thing that bothered me was the character's inconsistent technological know how. At one point Kayla says, "Send me your new web address, I'll e-mail you all the time." Okay, this is just odd I mean a web address is for a website, not to email someone. Really, you shouldn't screw that up in a sci-fi techno novel like this. The last thing that bothered me was when Kayla was at a house initially she was all worried about the government being able to track her computer use. Then later when she is hiding out with a rebel group, she decides to use the dusty old computer there. Then when someone tracks it she is, uh duh, I didn't realize that someone could track me here. Wow, that is just completely inconsistent!
Besides the above complaints, I enjoyed the book. I just tried to shrug the techno inconsistencies aside. This is a quick read and overall an interesting and fun read. I wish the small inconsistencies had been fixed, then this book would have been spectacular. Still, I am excited to read the next (and last) book "The Bar Code Rebellion".
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LibraryThing member TiffanyAK
There are some inconsistences that detract slightly from the story, but overall it's a fast and enjoyable read. In a not-too-distant future, a law is enacted forcing all citizens to get a bar code tattoo on their seventeenth birthday. The bar code contains your whole identity, tracks your every
In a world with trackable credit cards, licenses with bar codes, eye scanners, and talk about identity chips, this book is all too believable. While reading it, one can only hope that our desire for 'security' never convinces us to allow the government this extreme level of control, while being simultaneously aware that we are growing ever nearer to this point every day.
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move, and can either make your life better or destroy your future. Kayla Reed doesn't want the tattoo. She knows something is wrong with it. So, she's forced to run. But, how can she have a future without the tattoo?In a world with trackable credit cards, licenses with bar codes, eye scanners, and talk about identity chips, this book is all too believable. While reading it, one can only hope that our desire for 'security' never convinces us to allow the government this extreme level of control, while being simultaneously aware that we are growing ever nearer to this point every day.
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LibraryThing member MissBoyer3
Individuality vs. Conformity
Identity vs. Access
Freedom vs. Control
The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity.
But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice
Identity vs. Access
Freedom vs. Control
The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity.
But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice
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changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run...for her life. Show Less
LibraryThing member readerworm12345
This was an amazing series it shows that if you have a group of people you can count on you can acomplish anything. I loved the main caracter she was great brave and coragous. It was full of adventure and action. It was an amazing series I loved it. I would recomend it to everyone.
LibraryThing member know_one
this book was really suspenseful, and it also had many different parts that you would not expect. for example: Kayla was a bar-code tattoo rebel and she was at her boyfriends house. Zekeal was also a bar-code rebel
LibraryThing member ShannaRedwind
This book was all right. I like the concept, though I think things deteriorated a little too quickly. I have to wonder what all those people who suddenly lost their jobs, can't access their money and can't buy anything are doing. Are they all just killing themselves, or sitting around doing
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction.
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nothing, going 'Oh, woe is me, I lost my job, I can't even get a job raking leaves, I don't have any food. I guess I'll just smile and make the best of it. But despite the problems I have with it, I'm glad I read it. I probably won't re-read it though.I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction.
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LibraryThing member midnighttwilight101
The Bar Code Tattoo is a series about a girl named Kayla (Yay, finally a main character with my name) that is set in the future. Everyone is made to get a tattoo of a bar code, this bar code has everything about them in it, their money, job, even their DNA and traits (like alcoholism or mental
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disorders). But the bar codes seem to change people, and Kayla thinks they are breaking up her family. Show Less
LibraryThing member Corazie
I haven't read this book for a long time, perhaps even five years, but it has stuck with me for all of that time, since I first read this as a young teen.
The possibilities that this book describes are terrifying.
The possibilities that this book describes are terrifying.
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A girl refuses to follow the crowd and ends up joining a rebellion.
Opening Sentence: Outside, rain drummed against the window.
The Review:
Everyone is getting the Bar Code Tattoo. No one over 17 doesn’t have it. Except Kayla. The United States,
I wish this book was longer.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book (not only because the main character’s name was Kayla), but I had a hard time connecting to it because scenes were not fleshed out and the plot kept moving when I wanted more. If this book had another 200 pages full of good writing, I would have rated this higher. But since it has boring writing and a plot that skips weeks in one page, I did not enjoy the book.
Okay, so good things first: I like the overall plot arc. The world of Global1 and their control of the world seems realistic as technology advances. I like the main character, Kayla, who is just about the only dynamic character in the book. I like the setting of the United States. This goes back to the whole arc of the story, but the world building in this book was pretty good.
On the other hand, most of the good things listed above were poorly executed. Although the overall idea of the story was good, the pacing was awful. The book can be split into three parts: before running, running and after running. The “before running’s” spacing is sooo slow! Almost nothing happens until she joins the rebel group. It’s all world building. “Running” was very repetitive. She finds someone to help her, they send her on her way. And every time she finds someone, it’s in a restaurant after escaping in the woods. The “after running” skipped so much! Weyn just lists the stuff she does, saying she repeats it and then suddenly we’re skipping weeks of character development! Kayla changes and grows after every encounter with a new person, but if we don’t see her as she grows, it makes the book boring.
Now the worst part of the book: the love interests. I cringe every time I think of them. I give Weyn props for unpredictability with Zeke, but Mfumbe is a static character. He never changes. He’s always there for Kayla. He has no problems (as in, he never shows any other emotion besides loyalty, even though he’s also on the run.) Both loves are instant – or at least seem instant because the story jumps ahead again from when they meet to when they say those three words (which also annoys me because she has only known both for a month or so before they confess their love.)
Overall, I would not recommend this book. Although by the end of the book it gets more interesting, there is nothing in the beginning that begs you to turn the page or even care about the characters. There’s a major cliffhanger at the end, but honestly I didn’t really care.
Notable Scene:
“Hey, Mom, I got a job,” she spoke bitterly to the sleeping figure. “Isn’t that great! Yeah. I knew you’d be excited.”
Entering the kitchen, she found an egg in the refrigerator and scrambled it. There was no bread for toast. Fortunately, a box of saltines had been overlooked. Saltines and eggs – egg, actually – wasn’t a bad dinner. As she ate, she surveyed the messy kitchen and considered cleaning it.
The phone rang. “Hello?”
On the other end, someone emitted an anguished sob.
“Amber? Is that you? Amber? What’s wrong?”
FTC Advisory: Scholastic provided me with a copy of The Bar Code Tattoo. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A girl refuses to follow the crowd and ends up joining a rebellion.
Opening Sentence: Outside, rain drummed against the window.
The Review:
Everyone is getting the Bar Code Tattoo. No one over 17 doesn’t have it. Except Kayla. The United States,
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like many other countries, is controlled by Global1, the company that created the Tattoo. As the tattoo controls more and more of their identity, Kayla joins a small rebel group at her school, dedicated to inform the public about the consequences of getting the bar code. But when someone inside betrays them and Kayla’s mom becomes more frantic to get the bar code off, Kayla is forced to run. While searching for the rebel group in the mountains, Kayla runs into many people, both friend and foe.I wish this book was longer.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book (not only because the main character’s name was Kayla), but I had a hard time connecting to it because scenes were not fleshed out and the plot kept moving when I wanted more. If this book had another 200 pages full of good writing, I would have rated this higher. But since it has boring writing and a plot that skips weeks in one page, I did not enjoy the book.
Okay, so good things first: I like the overall plot arc. The world of Global1 and their control of the world seems realistic as technology advances. I like the main character, Kayla, who is just about the only dynamic character in the book. I like the setting of the United States. This goes back to the whole arc of the story, but the world building in this book was pretty good.
On the other hand, most of the good things listed above were poorly executed. Although the overall idea of the story was good, the pacing was awful. The book can be split into three parts: before running, running and after running. The “before running’s” spacing is sooo slow! Almost nothing happens until she joins the rebel group. It’s all world building. “Running” was very repetitive. She finds someone to help her, they send her on her way. And every time she finds someone, it’s in a restaurant after escaping in the woods. The “after running” skipped so much! Weyn just lists the stuff she does, saying she repeats it and then suddenly we’re skipping weeks of character development! Kayla changes and grows after every encounter with a new person, but if we don’t see her as she grows, it makes the book boring.
Now the worst part of the book: the love interests. I cringe every time I think of them. I give Weyn props for unpredictability with Zeke, but Mfumbe is a static character. He never changes. He’s always there for Kayla. He has no problems (as in, he never shows any other emotion besides loyalty, even though he’s also on the run.) Both loves are instant – or at least seem instant because the story jumps ahead again from when they meet to when they say those three words (which also annoys me because she has only known both for a month or so before they confess their love.)
Overall, I would not recommend this book. Although by the end of the book it gets more interesting, there is nothing in the beginning that begs you to turn the page or even care about the characters. There’s a major cliffhanger at the end, but honestly I didn’t really care.
Notable Scene:
“Hey, Mom, I got a job,” she spoke bitterly to the sleeping figure. “Isn’t that great! Yeah. I knew you’d be excited.”
Entering the kitchen, she found an egg in the refrigerator and scrambled it. There was no bread for toast. Fortunately, a box of saltines had been overlooked. Saltines and eggs – egg, actually – wasn’t a bad dinner. As she ate, she surveyed the messy kitchen and considered cleaning it.
The phone rang. “Hello?”
On the other end, someone emitted an anguished sob.
“Amber? Is that you? Amber? What’s wrong?”
FTC Advisory: Scholastic provided me with a copy of The Bar Code Tattoo. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member smheatherly2
The dystopian society in this novel is one that is interesting, and seems like it could be plausible in the future. I felt the pacing was a bit off in the beginning, with a lot of big events happening in a short amount of time, with the main character not fully being developed as much as could be.
Weyn did a good job of enabling a lot of symbolism to the Civil Rights movement and what is equality as well as other factors that bring in the Dystopia aspects. Quick, easy read.
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Weyn did a good job of enabling a lot of symbolism to the Civil Rights movement and what is equality as well as other factors that bring in the Dystopia aspects. Quick, easy read.
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LibraryThing member Hana.Dooren.Richter
The dystopian conditions were very well described and I enjoyed the progression of the story, although towards the end it started losing pace and some elements were unnecessary (without offering any spoilers). Still, a good afternoon read and a definite must for younger adults who should know about
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politics and the dangers of the current society. Show Less
LibraryThing member csweder
Not really a "recommendation" from a student. More like, student got this at RIF, and I acted really interested in it, and now he has asked me to read it....
After reading it, I'd say it's a good book. It is a distopian novel, set in the future (you know I loves me a distopia novel!) full of dirty
After reading it, I'd say it's a good book. It is a distopian novel, set in the future (you know I loves me a distopia novel!) full of dirty
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politicians and money hungry international corporations. I liked it. Show Less
LibraryThing member csweder
Not really a "recommendation" from a student. More like, student got this at RIF, and I acted really interested in it, and now he has asked me to read it....
After reading it, I'd say it's a good book. It is a distopian novel, set in the future (you know I loves me a distopia novel!) full of dirty
After reading it, I'd say it's a good book. It is a distopian novel, set in the future (you know I loves me a distopia novel!) full of dirty
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politicians and money hungry international corporations. I liked it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
The idea for the story was good, but the writing was really choppy and distracted me from what I was reading. Not one of her better books.
LibraryThing member VavaViolet
The Bar Code Tattoo is the first book in the Bar Code series written by Suzanne Weyn. It is set in the future, 2025 to be exact, a time when people are expected to get a bar code tattoo upon the age of 17. Kayla, the main protagonist, is soon turning 17 but is still undecided whether to get coded
This book reminded me of The Giver, both are set in the future wherein people are segregated in a specific way. That being said, The Bar Code Tattoo is an interesting look into what the future may hold. All I can say is, if this comes true, I’ll be in big trouble as my lineage isn’t so lucky in that aspect. I’m being vague I know, I don’t want to spoil the story for those who haven’t read it yet. For the most part, I like the character of Kayla, she is brave and intelligent. What I didn’t like is that she seems to fall in love too quickly; yes, she has two love interests. Also, because the book isn’t that long, there are some scenes that felt rushed. Fortunately, there is a sequel which will hopefully shed light on some lingering questions. I also like the quotes that the author included in the book. The quotes are apt and some are scary warnings of what the future may become – shudder!
I got my copy from a friend who had a book sale. I enjoyed reading this well-written book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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or not. After experiencing a family tragedy and meeting schoolmates who support Decoded, Kayla’s negative feelings about getting the tattoo intensifies. Upon the insistence of her best friend, Kayla reluctantly goes to a facility to get coded on her 17th birthday. However, another tragedy occurs while they are waiting in line causing Kayla to flee. Soon she finds herself questioning the motives behind getting coded. As she uncovers the surprising truth about the tattoo, Kayla is forced to be an outcast and an outlaw. This book reminded me of The Giver, both are set in the future wherein people are segregated in a specific way. That being said, The Bar Code Tattoo is an interesting look into what the future may hold. All I can say is, if this comes true, I’ll be in big trouble as my lineage isn’t so lucky in that aspect. I’m being vague I know, I don’t want to spoil the story for those who haven’t read it yet. For the most part, I like the character of Kayla, she is brave and intelligent. What I didn’t like is that she seems to fall in love too quickly; yes, she has two love interests. Also, because the book isn’t that long, there are some scenes that felt rushed. Fortunately, there is a sequel which will hopefully shed light on some lingering questions. I also like the quotes that the author included in the book. The quotes are apt and some are scary warnings of what the future may become – shudder!
I got my copy from a friend who had a book sale. I enjoyed reading this well-written book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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LibraryThing member TheTreeReader
I have been wanting to read this book for a very long time and was finally able to do so when I was gifted a copy of it.
The Bar Code Tattoo is about something that is possible, which is a very scary thing to think about. I was in a reading slump when I started reading this book and it brought me
There were some things about it that I had problems with. Mainly characters just showing up randomly. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and will eventually pick up book two, The Bar Code Rebellion.
The Bar Code Tattoo is about something that is possible, which is a very scary thing to think about. I was in a reading slump when I started reading this book and it brought me
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right out of it. I was pulled in from the first page. I just had to know what was happening and how it was going to turn out.There were some things about it that I had problems with. Mainly characters just showing up randomly. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and will eventually pick up book two, The Bar Code Rebellion.
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LibraryThing member wrightja2000
Wish it had less teen romance- bleck! Asks some good questions but already seems dated. What about a QR code?
Awards
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2005)
Call number
YA B Wey