John Corey Whaley (born January 19, 1984) is an American author of contemporary fiction novels for young adults.

His debut Where Things Come Back won the Printz Award from the American Library Association in 2012, recognized as the year's "best book written for teens.

He taught public middle and high school English for five years in his home state before becoming a full-time author.

[3] Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, his knowledge all disappears.

Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, this novel finds wonder in the ordinary and emerges as ultimately hopeful.

Determined to "fix" Sol, Lisa steps into his world, along with her charming boyfriend Clark, and soon enough the three form an unexpected bond.

The U.S. Young Adult Library Services Association recognized Where Things Come Back with the annual Printz Award that is open to all books published in the U.S. for young-adult readers.