In our world, he can’t pass math.
In theirs, he’s the one they count on.

Raymond Shayo has never been good at math. But after an ordinary school day ends in the most extraordinary way imaginable, he finds himself in a candlelit world where numbers are written in a way unlike anything he has ever seen.At first, the strange customs, unfamiliar people, and endless rows of glowing candles are enough to keep him busy. Then he notices something no one else does.The more Raymond tries to understand this world, the more one question refuses to leave him alone:How can an entire civilization be missing something so important without anyone realizing it?

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About the Author

Hai Le is a middle school math teacher who believes that struggling with mathematics does not define a student’s intelligence or worth. He wrote The Place With No Value to combine the mystery and excitement of an adventure story with questions about numbers, self-worth, and how the simplest truths can sometimes be the most valuable.


When he is not teaching or writing, he enjoys spending time with his family, learning about and exploring new things, and finding new ways to help students see mathematics differently.


The Place With No Value is his first novel.