Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key - Jack Gantos

Sympathetic, realistic portrait of boy with ADHD.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Read the book?
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Book details
  • Author:Jack Gantos
  • # of pages: 152
  • Publisher:HarperTrophy
  • Original Publication Date: 01/01/1998
  • Genre: Fiction - Coming of Age
  • Paperback: $5.99
  • Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12
  • Read Aloud: 11+
  • Read Alone: 11+

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is an entertaining, sympathetic, and accurate depiction of a child with ADHD.

Families can talk about ADHD. Do you know someone who acts like Joey? Do you ever feel like he does? Do you think his family could do a better job helping him? Do you like Joey? Why or why not?

Message

Social Behavior:

Joey misbehaves constantly, but never intentionally.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Joey's mom is an alcoholic.

Violence

Accidental, including Joey tripping with scissors and cutting a girl's nose tip off. Joey's parents abandon him, his grandmother is mean, and he feels he's no good.

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Amy Brotman

Joey whirls through life like the Tasmanian Devil, his body's uncontrollable impulses running far ahead of his ability to control them. This sympathetic but realistic portrait of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) helps children and adults understand the syndrome better.



Is it any good?

4

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.

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 14 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/22/08 by coolcrob Kid contributor, age 12
2


Posted on 02/05/08 by bookluver101 Kid contributor, age 14

its OK

its funny and a good book 4 most kids 8-10
5

Posted on 05/23/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

2

Posted on 05/17/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

5


Posted on 04/25/07 by Jared_Ginny Kid contributor, age 12

Joey Pigza Swallowed th key

this book was very interesting my child liked it alot it was grusom at times and i only recall one bad word!!
5


Posted on 01/20/07 by ashgr812 Kid contributor, age 15

Loved It!

I loved this book so much and I can relate to it because my brother has problems like Joey and they both mean well but things happen that they can't control. A very good book. I just wish that I could go into the book and be his friend because I felt so bad!
5


Posted on 12/13/06 by duuuuhhh.....gaw.... Kid contributor, age 11
5


Posted on 11/08/06 by AngiePangie Kid contributor, age 11

I laughed by head off

I love how joey is so innonent and means well I thought that he was so crazy when he did the spin thing I started laughing!!
4


Posted on 09/30/06 by MikaylaLovesEdwardCullen Kid contributor, age 11

pretty good book for anyone
4

Posted on 08/28/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

See all 14 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 5 reviews.

5

Posted on 05/23/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

2

Posted on 05/17/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

4

Posted on 08/28/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

5

Posted on 03/27/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Great Book for 9th Graders

A lot of kids I know really enjoy reading this book because the protagonist is someone who feels the same way they do...They are so used to people getting fed up with them and saying things like, "why can't you just sit still for a while?" Here is a protagonist who has to hold on to his chair until his knuckles turn white or he may just explode out of his chair and hit the ceiling. A believable story of a young man who consistantly tries to do the "right thing" though the right thing, just like in real life, doesn't always go as planned.
3

Posted on 10/03/05 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Kids Reviews

There are 9 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/22/08 by coolcrob Kid contributor, age 12
2


Posted on 02/05/08 by bookluver101 Kid contributor, age 14

its OK

its funny and a good book 4 most kids 8-10
5


Posted on 04/25/07 by Jared_Ginny Kid contributor, age 12

Joey Pigza Swallowed th key

this book was very interesting my child liked it alot it was grusom at times and i only recall one bad word!!
5


Posted on 01/20/07 by ashgr812 Kid contributor, age 15

Loved It!

I loved this book so much and I can relate to it because my brother has problems like Joey and they both mean well but things happen that they can't control. A very good book. I just wish that I could go into the book and be his friend because I felt so bad!
5


Posted on 12/13/06 by duuuuhhh.....gaw.... Kid contributor, age 11
5


Posted on 11/08/06 by AngiePangie Kid contributor, age 11

I laughed by head off

I love how joey is so innonent and means well I thought that he was so crazy when he did the spin thing I started laughing!!
4


Posted on 09/30/06 by MikaylaLovesEdwardCullen Kid contributor, age 11

pretty good book for anyone
5

Posted on 03/14/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 9

A hilarious book for everyone!

I think Joey Pigza swallowed the key is a great book! FUNNY,FUNNY BOOK! It got my whole class laughing!
5


Posted on 10/24/04 by Oxguy Kid contributor, age 8

Go Joe !

This Book is so good! I love it!
See all 9 kids reviews >
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