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About The Book

2014 National Book Award Finalist
A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)


Travis Coates has a good head…on someone else’s shoulders. A touching, hilarious “tour de force of imagination and empathy” (Booklist, starred review) from John Corey Whaley, author of the Printz and Morris Award–winning Where Things Come Back.

Listen—Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn’t.
Now he’s alive again.
Simple as that.

The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but Travis can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he’s still sixteen, but everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not his girlfriend anymore? That’s a bit fuzzy too.

Looks like if the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, there are going to be a few more scars.

Oh well, you only live twice.

About The Author

Photograph courtesy of the author

John Corey Whaley grew up in Louisiana. His debut novel, Where Things Come Back, was the 2012 winner of the Michael L. Printz and the William C. Morris Awards. You can learn more about him at JohnCoreyWhaley.com and follow him on Twitter: @Corey_Whaley.

About The Reader

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (April 8, 2014)
  • Runtime: 8 hours and 45 minutes
  • ISBN13: 9781442369863
  • Grades: 9 and up
  • Ages: 14 - 99

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Awards and Honors

  • National Book Award Finalist
  • CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
  • Thumbs Up! Award Top Ten Title (MI)
  • South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee
  • Keystone to Reading Book Award Reading List (PA)
  • ILA Young Adults' Choices
  • Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Master List
  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List High School Title
  • Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee (NJ)
  • NYPL Best Books for Teens
  • Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee
  • Florida Teens Read Master List
  • Capital Choices Noteworthy Books for Children's and Teens (DC)
  • Volunteer State Book Award Nominee (TN)
  • Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee (MD)
  • TAYSHAS Reading List (TX)
  • ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Top Ten
  • California Book Award Finalist
  • ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Nominee
  • Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
  • MSTA Reading Circle List
  • Cybils Award Finalist
  • Amazing Audiobooks for YA
  • Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Nominee
  • Westchester Fiction Award (CA)

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