The Absolute Value of Mike

Noah Galvin's performance enhances this clever novel in every detail, making even the chapter titles come to life. Each chapter is named for a mathematical concept and highlights Mike's struggle against the expectation that he excel mathematically, like his brilliant father. He doesn't. Over a summer Mike discovers his own strengths when everyone he meets seems to be dealing with grief, and none too well. Galvin renders these characters with tender quirkiness, using slight shifts in pitch and speech patterns. Mike's angst and the ramblings of eccentric Great-Aunt Moe are balanced with subtle silences. Galvin's lively use of inflection imbues the dialogue with a sense of candid immediacy, making the listener feel right there with Mike and the crazy residents of "Do-Over," Pennsylvania. A.M.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

April 25, 2011
Following her National Book Award win for Mockingbird, Erskine tries her hand at comedy with this story of an undervalued boy learning his considerable worth. Mike's father, a math professor, must teach in Romania for six weeks, so he ships his motherless 14-year-old to live with distant relatives and work on an engineering project to improve Mike's chances of getting into a math magnet school. Mike's dyscalculia, a math disability, telegraphs immediately that this plan won't succeed, but things go wrong in surprising ways. The relatives, Moo and Poppy, are octogenarians grieving the death of their adult son. Moo, a comical but endearing figure, frequently confuses wordsâthe "artesian screw" Mike was supposed to work on is really an "artisan's crew" of woodworkers, building boxes to raise funds to bring a Romanian orphan to live with a widowed minister in town. There are many contrivances: nearly every important character is grieving someone, and Misha, the prospective adoptee, looks exactly like Mike and is wearing a shirt Mike donated to charity. Still, the wacky cast, rewarding character growth, and ample humor make this an effortless read. Ages 10âup.

January 1, 2012
Gr 5-8-Mike, 14, has taken care of his father and the household since his mother died. His father is a math professor and has high expectations for Mike to follow in his footsteps. However, Mike has a math disability and little interest in attending the magnate school his father is convinced is the right fit for him. Mike is sent to spend six weeks with his elderly aunt and uncle while his father teaches math in Romania. When he finds himself in charge of a town-wide fundraiser launched to help a local woman adopt an orphan from Romania, he discovers his hidden abilities and his own voice. Noah Galvin brings the characters in Kathryn Erskine's novel (Philomel, 2011) to life, including Mike's Great Aunt Moo, whose quirky mannerisms offer heartwarming comic relief set against his grief-stricken Great Uncle Poppy, who has been nearly catatonic after the loss of their only son, and the unusual and colorful townspeople. Galvin seamlessly weaves tone, pattern, and pacing together for each character, adding humor, sincerity, and gravity when appropriate. The novel's underlying poignancy is balanced by many laugh-out-loud segments. While the somewhat ambiguous ending may leave listeners frustrated, they will be hooked by the vibrant characters.-"Stephanie A. Squicciarini, Fairport Public Library, NY"

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