Noggin

by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates died of leukaemia at the age of 16.  But he agreed to be part of a scientific experiment, and scientists cryogenically froze his head in hopes of some day being able to attach it to a healthy body and bring Travis back to life.  The scientists thought that if this actually happened, it would be years and years in the future.

The thing is, it’s only been 5 years since Travis died.  He’s 16, but all his friends are now 21.  His friends have grown up and moved on.  His girlfriend is getting married (to someone else!).  Travis just wants things to go back to the way they used to be, but of course that's impossible.  Travis has been given a second chance at life, but will he be able to look beyond the past long enough to take full advantage? 

This book is a bit sci-fi, in that the technology exists that enables scientists to re-animate people, but that’s really where the sci fi ends.  A fairly quick read, with funny first-person-dialogue, this is a realistic look at the in-between stage of life when you’re too young to be an adult but at the same time too old to be a kid.