Mayday

Written by Karen Harrington

After a crash, Wayne must find his voice to navigate family and friendship challenges.

5.0/7 Bookroo expert·4.2/5 Goodreads · 1,738 ratings

369 pages· 61,288 words· Est. 8.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Wayne Kovok's world is shattered after a plane crash leaves him voiceless. Struggling to communicate, he faces the challenge of connecting with his family and impressing the girl he likes. Can Wayne find a way to express himself and mend the fractured bonds with his drill-sergeant grandfather and distant father? As he navigates this silent world, Wayne discovers the power of unspoken truths and the courage to speak from the heart. Join Wayne on a poignant journey of resilience, family, and finding one's voice amidst the noise of life.

From the publisher

In the tradition of Counting By 7s and The Thing About Jellyfish, a heartwarming coming-of-age story about grief, family, friendship, and the importance of finding your voice Wayne Kovok lives in a world of After. After his uncle in the army was killed overseas. After Wayne and his mother survived a plane crash while coming back from the funeral. After he lost his voice. Wayne has always used his love of facts to communicate (“Did you know more people die each year from shaking a vending machine than from shark attacks?”). Without his voice, how will he wow the prettiest girl in school? How will he stand up to his drill-sergeant grandfather? And how will he share his hopes with his deadbeat dad? It’s not until Wayne loses his voice completely that he realizes how much he doesn’t say. Filled with Karen Harrington’s signature heart and humor, Mayday tackles an unforgettable journey of family and friendship.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 369
Words: 61,288
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: ~650L

Themes & topics

Books about grandpa Books about bereavement Books about death Books about computers Books about vehicles

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Violence

Wayne’s story stems from a plane crash. He and his mother survived, but there were some casualties. Wayne has a difficult father situation and at one point his dad hits him once before his grandfather intervenes and stops him.

After the last page

Talk about it together

You may want to ask your child how Wayne coped with losing two family members and have a conversation about coping with death or other difficult situations.

What readers & critics say