Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

After surviving a plane crash, Wayne has plenty to cope with. He's lost his voice from an injury, his face is badly scarred, his drill-sergeant Grandpa has moved in, he's lost the flag that draped his uncle's coffin, the only reason his girlfriend hasn't dumped him is because she's sorry for him, and his father is an abusive loser. In sum, the white seventh-grader has to find a way to cope with the sudden disintegration of his world. In the past, he's been a veritable encyclopedia of random trivia, useful for "sealing up the cracks of awkward silences." Without a voice, the trivia doesn't work. Friends could help, but he has none until he discovers Denny, who's facing his bar mitzvah but suffers from a dreadful stutter—except when he sings—and, surprisingly, Grandpa, who, Wayne discovers, is slowly dying of cancer. Grandpa starts out as a near caricature of a ramrod-stiff career military man but gradually emerges to readers through Wayne's developing understanding as sensitive and deeply in tune with the boy's struggles. Wayne's convincing narration perceptively captures the tribulations of young teens, and even though his problems aren't commonplace, surprisingly, the resolutions are. Perhaps best of these is Grandpa's advice: "Before you go taking the bull by the horns, make sure it's your bull." A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction. (Fiction. 10-14)

ALA Booklist (Sun May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Middle school is tough for most kids, but seventh-grader Wayne Kovoks is having a particularly bad year. On the way home from his uncle's funeral, Wayne's plane crashes. He and his mother are among the survivors, but Wayne walks away from the wreckage with an injured throat and an L-shaped gash running down from his face: L for loser. The severe swelling in the 12-year-old's neck means no talking. For a kid who copes with social situations by rattling off an encyclopedic number of facts, not having a voice makes life challenging in a whole new way. On top of these major roadblocks, Wayne is navigating relationships with Sandy (his sort-of girlfriend), his dad (divorced), and his grandfather (former drill sergeant and new housemate). Random facts and Wayne's sense of humor leaven the more serious plot developments, while his forced silence causes him to take a closer look at the people around him. Harrington's (Sure Signs of Crazy, 2013) latest comes with heft, hope, and scads of trivia.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

After surviving a plane crash, Wayne has plenty to cope with. He's lost his voice from an injury, his face is badly scarred, his drill-sergeant Grandpa has moved in, he's lost the flag that draped his uncle's coffin, the only reason his girlfriend hasn't dumped him is because she's sorry for him, and his father is an abusive loser. In sum, the white seventh-grader has to find a way to cope with the sudden disintegration of his world. In the past, he's been a veritable encyclopedia of random trivia, useful for "sealing up the cracks of awkward silences." Without a voice, the trivia doesn't work. Friends could help, but he has none until he discovers Denny, who's facing his bar mitzvah but suffers from a dreadful stutter—except when he sings—and, surprisingly, Grandpa, who, Wayne discovers, is slowly dying of cancer. Grandpa starts out as a near caricature of a ramrod-stiff career military man but gradually emerges to readers through Wayne's developing understanding as sensitive and deeply in tune with the boy's struggles. Wayne's convincing narration perceptively captures the tribulations of young teens, and even though his problems aren't commonplace, surprisingly, the resolutions are. Perhaps best of these is Grandpa's advice: "Before you go taking the bull by the horns, make sure it's your bull." A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction. (Fiction. 10-14)

School Library Journal (Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

Gr 5-8 Wayne Kovok is a descendant of Dalton war heroes from the Revolution to the present, as his grandpa reminds him constantlythough he also reminds Wayne that he is a Kovok, not a Dalton. His dad, the Flee, promises trips to concerts but shows up with T-shirts after he's gone by himselfif he shows up at all. Finally, there's Wayne's sort of girlfriend, who clearly thinks she can do much better. Wayne fights all this negativity with an encyclopedia of facts to plug into awkward silences. So when he and his mom survive a plane crash, following the burial of his Uncle Reed at Arlington, and Wayne loses his voice, communication with his family gets even harder. Wayne's is an authentic, funny, and sometimes sarcastic teen voice, which comes through clearly, even when he can't speak out loud. As the narrator, he is the fulcrum of the story, but other characters are defined, distinct, and developed. Family relationships are realistic, sometimes painfully so, as Wayne fights to find his own voice both figuratively and literally. The story is a bit long, with a few too many strands, all of which are resolved in the end, somewhat improbably. However, the positive aspects outweigh the few flaws in this sweet tale of survival, heroism, and the search for strength. VERDICT A solid purchase for middle graders looking for more realistic fiction.— Katherine Koenig, The Ellis School, PA

Voice of Youth Advocates

Middle schooler Wayne Kovok is living in the wake of a series of traumas that have shaken his comfortable world. First, his beloved uncle was killed while serving in the Army. Then, on the flight home from the funeral, Wayne and his mother were involved in plane crash. Finally, Wayne has to come to grips with the fact that the crash has left him with a scarred face and the temporary inability to speak. Wayne must navigate the new realities that face him, along with his sorta-maybe girlfriend Sandy, his new friend Denny, and his Grandpa Dalton, a retired drill sergeant who is hiding a secret of his own. Will Wayne find be able to find his true voice, both physical and metaphorical? Will he be able to sort out the forces that are tugging at him from all sides? Will he reconcile with his father, who has not always been the best parent? Only time will tell.This story is told entirely from Wayne's perspective. Like the protagonists of many popular series, Wayne is a definite outsider; he uses his encyclopedic knowledge of trivia as both a means to communicate and a defense against other students. The setting is believable and should be easy for most readers to relate to. The main characters are well depicted and highly appealing. The ending resolves most of the issues, making it clear that this is intended to be a single volume. The book deals with issues of family relationships, the heavy burden of keeping secrets, and finding one's own voice. This book would appeal to fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and would make a solid addition to most middle and some high school collections.Jonathan Ryder.Mayday successfully holds the reader's interest with intertwining plotlines, relatable characters, and moving vulnerability. The protagonist is believable and dynamic; he encourages readers to place themselves in his shoes. It may take a few chapters for the plot to pick up momentum and have the reader develop genuine interest in each individual character, but the conclusion of the novel is impactful and inspiring. Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride. 4Q, 4P.Elizabeth Sullivan, Teen Reviewer.