Told in the first person, this harrowing but ultimately hopeful story doesn't pull any punches when it comes to Joey's behavior. Even for the reader who knows what's going on inside Joey, this is a hard kid to like.

Nonetheless, author Jack Gantos succeeds in making him sympathetic and in bringing out the inherent goodness hidden behind Joey's outrageous behavior. Unlike many problem novels of this type, Gantos doesn't vilify the adults who are unable to deal with Joey. The teachers, the principal, and even his alcoholic mother are all portrayed as kind--if worn out--people who are doing the best they can.

As is perhaps inevitable in a book aimed at an upper elementary and junior high audience, though much of the story is realistic, in the end the solutions come a bit too easily. Also, given that medicating children with this syndrome is controversial, some readers may be bothered that the solution is almost entirely a matter of giving Joey the right medication.

This novel, one of the best about this increasingly common disorder, will be interesting to most children, not just those who suffer from ADHD themselves. It's also a good book for adults to read in order to get some understanding of what life is like for children with this disorder.

The sequel is Joey Pigza Loses Control. Other novels about kids with attention problems include First Star I See (which, unlike the others, is about a girl) and Zipper.