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yapha's review against another edition
5.0
Wayne Kovok loves facts. He spouts random facts to ease the tension and change the subject in awkward situations. But after he and his mother survive a horrific plane crash, Wayne loses his voice. (Literally. This is not an emotional or psychological loss. He damaged his vocal cords in the accident.) Now his ex-Army drill sergeant grandfather has moved in with them while he and his mother heal. There is no love lost between Wayne's father and grandfather, and Wayne feels that his grandfather thinks less of him because he is a Kovok and not a true Dalton. Unhappy with how his father treats him, Wayne wishes that he was more of a Dalton as well. He sets out on a quest to locate his uncle's flag which was lost in the crash. He hopes that if he can find it, all will be right in his world again. As Wayne recovers, he learns more about himself and his family, with a deeper understanding of his own place in the world. This powerful story of a boy finding his own voice (both literally and figuratively) is a must read. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
ARC provided by publisher
ARC provided by publisher
sab_reads14's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
lilyaronovitz's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such a fun roller coaster of emotion! Wayne and Denny were super loveable, but their lives were far from perfect. I absoluted HATED Grandpa at first, but the Flee had to take his spot for most hated character of the book in the end. This was a really sweet book that was fun to read. Wayne was such an incredible and interesting character to read about overall!
jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting book that dealt with a lot of traumatic moments. I liked how the author dealt with the feelings that arose in Wayne's life from a kid's perspective. This book offers lots to think about and discuss.
jaelikes's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books that was just sort of alright but then turned it out in the last several chapters. I didn't like how the grandpa treated Wayne for most of it.
ajonas17's review against another edition
3.0
Wayne is the kid who knows everything. In need a random fact? Wayne's the guy. He's the guy until he and his mother are in a plane crash coming back from his uncle's funeral and Wayne's life turns upside down. As a shy person who depends on his voice to make connections, Wayne must figure out what it means to live in his world without his uncle and without his voice. After the crash, the world as Wayne knew it is gone and it is his responsibility to find new ways to communicate with the most important people in his life. I didn't love Mayday because it's really slow. I got halfway, maybe even more than halfway, through and nothing exciting had happened. The book is marketed as a coming-of-age story and those normally can move me to tears but I wasn't moved by this book and I don't think I'd read it again.
tasnimfauzi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alysonimagines's review
5.0
Did you know that the emu is a flightless bird like an ostrich but is also a fast runner and a strong swimmer? Did you know that the average tree consumes fifty to one hundred gallons of water a day? Did you know that the international distress signal “Mayday” comes from “m’aidez,” the French for “help me”?
Seventh grader Wayne Kovok knows all of these facts and many more. He’s practically a walking encyclopedia. Random facts help him navigate the awkward, the painful, and the difficult situations in life. When he doesn’t know what to say, he throws out an interesting fact—to dispel uncomfortable silences, to make people laugh, and to forget troubling things.
But after he and his mom survive a plane crash on the way home from his uncle’s military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, Wayne discovers that he has lost his voice. Without the ability to spout facts out loud, how will he distract his mom from her grief for her brother and the honor burial flag she lost in the plane crash? How will he stand up to his army drill sergeant grandpa, who never runs out of things to criticize Wayne for doing wrong? How will he tell his sort-of girlfriend Sandy that he still likes her? And how will he get his deadbeat dad to understand that empty promises hurt? It seems like Wayne’s life can’t get much worse.
Little by little, though, rays of sunshine begin to peek through the clouds. Positive change happens. He makes a new friend, he learns to appreciate his family in a way he never has before, and he develops the courage to express what’s really on his mind, underneath all those random facts he loves to spout. There’s a lot of pain and sadness in Mayday, but there are also many bright and funny moments. Overall, Wayne’s story is a hopeful one about not only surviving life’s difficulties but, more importantly, growing stronger and braver as a result.
I’ve been a fan of Karen Harrington since her middle-grade debut, Sure Signs of Crazy, and Mayday, her third book, is 3 for 3 in awesomeness! Harrington has the wonderful ability to tell a story that confronts very true-to-life pain and difficulties head-on but is also infused throughout with a generous dose of hope and humor about the little things people take for granted. And every main character she writes becomes a real person to me by the time I’ve finished reading the book. Wayne is my new favorite Revolutionary Nerd, and I say that with great affection.
Seventh grader Wayne Kovok knows all of these facts and many more. He’s practically a walking encyclopedia. Random facts help him navigate the awkward, the painful, and the difficult situations in life. When he doesn’t know what to say, he throws out an interesting fact—to dispel uncomfortable silences, to make people laugh, and to forget troubling things.
But after he and his mom survive a plane crash on the way home from his uncle’s military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, Wayne discovers that he has lost his voice. Without the ability to spout facts out loud, how will he distract his mom from her grief for her brother and the honor burial flag she lost in the plane crash? How will he stand up to his army drill sergeant grandpa, who never runs out of things to criticize Wayne for doing wrong? How will he tell his sort-of girlfriend Sandy that he still likes her? And how will he get his deadbeat dad to understand that empty promises hurt? It seems like Wayne’s life can’t get much worse.
Little by little, though, rays of sunshine begin to peek through the clouds. Positive change happens. He makes a new friend, he learns to appreciate his family in a way he never has before, and he develops the courage to express what’s really on his mind, underneath all those random facts he loves to spout. There’s a lot of pain and sadness in Mayday, but there are also many bright and funny moments. Overall, Wayne’s story is a hopeful one about not only surviving life’s difficulties but, more importantly, growing stronger and braver as a result.
I’ve been a fan of Karen Harrington since her middle-grade debut, Sure Signs of Crazy, and Mayday, her third book, is 3 for 3 in awesomeness! Harrington has the wonderful ability to tell a story that confronts very true-to-life pain and difficulties head-on but is also infused throughout with a generous dose of hope and humor about the little things people take for granted. And every main character she writes becomes a real person to me by the time I’ve finished reading the book. Wayne is my new favorite Revolutionary Nerd, and I say that with great affection.