Scan barcode
agamemnon_hickory's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.5
This was both a great book to read as a parent of a neurodivergent kid and a difficult book to read as that parent. It helps for perspective but my heart hurt at times.
Recommend reading for parents and teachers
Recommend reading for parents and teachers
madmollyann's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
libcolleen's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting insight into an ADHD mind, but it's depressing, and "Joey Pigza Loses Control" is better in every way.
briaroche's review against another edition
1.0
I had to read this for my Master’s class. Can say with certainty this has not aged well.
kylierayshelle's review against another edition
5.0
an amazing book to show you the perspective of a child with adhd
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is the first in a series by Jack Gantos, telling the story of Joey Pigza a boy with ADHD who was initially raised by his grandmother (who also appears to have ADHD) until his mother returns and Joey begins to get the help he needs. With ADHD getting a lot of attention around the time this book was written in 1998, I think it's a very timely tale told from the perspective of Joey, giving us an insider's look at what ADHD feels like. Joey is ultimately a good kid at heart who tries to not to upset the people around him, but most of the time he's moving so quickly he can't think straight.
I think this is a good book for kids, but maybe an even better book for parents and those working with kids with ADHD to better understand the challenges associated with this disorder. Joey's mother tries to help him, but when he won't stop bouncing around the house, you can see why she drinks so much. Mrs. Mazy, his teacher tries to trust Joey, but when his meds seem to wear off every time she turns her back, causing some terrible accident, you understand why Joey spends so much time in trouble and eventually in special ed.
I think this is a good book for kids, but maybe an even better book for parents and those working with kids with ADHD to better understand the challenges associated with this disorder. Joey's mother tries to help him, but when he won't stop bouncing around the house, you can see why she drinks so much. Mrs. Mazy, his teacher tries to trust Joey, but when his meds seem to wear off every time she turns her back, causing some terrible accident, you understand why Joey spends so much time in trouble and eventually in special ed.
audreychamaine's review against another edition
3.0
Joey Pigza has some problems. He isn’t able to keep still or focus, even with his medication. Joey does some crazy things, like swallow his house-key, sharpens his finger in the pencil sharpener, and jumps down from a barn onto a bale of hay. However, when Joey falls when running with scissors and cuts off the tip of his classmate’s nose, he is sent to a special education school.
Situational humor abounds in this book, but the overall story is poignant and true. The Joey deals with abandonment by his parents, abuse by his grandmother, and his mother’s drinking. Kids will benefit, though, from seeing that the kids in the special education school are people too, and that although Joey has problems he is able to work to overcome them.
Situational humor abounds in this book, but the overall story is poignant and true. The Joey deals with abandonment by his parents, abuse by his grandmother, and his mother’s drinking. Kids will benefit, though, from seeing that the kids in the special education school are people too, and that although Joey has problems he is able to work to overcome them.
ahpotts's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm. Read this out loud with my 10yo. It’s outdated, for sure, but it sparked lots of good conversation for us. And, while Joey has much more going on than ADHD, I keep thinking of the first student who recommended this to me years ago saying, “parts of this are just what it feels like in my brain.”
hamckeon's review against another edition
3.0
I rounded up for this one because I really like the author. The story just did not grip me that much. Joey Pigza was a great character, but the plot did not really grab me.
sarahbethbrown's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book so much and found it so moving and perfect that I typed out an entire page and posted it on my blog. AND NOW I WILL COPY AND PASTE IT HERE, TOO!
“I can have good days. Entire days when I wake up and I’m calm inside like water when it’s no boiling, and I just plant my feet on the floor like every kid in America and do a sleepy walk down to the bathroom and take a nice hot shower and wash my hair and dry off and get dressed and eat breakfast and all the while thinking about what I’d like to do with my day. And then the most amazing thing to me is after I think about what I want to do, like read, or see a friend, or say something nice to Mrs. Howard, or write a poem, I actually do all that stuff. That is *amazing* to me. I think it, then I do it. This may be how everyone else operates, but this is not how I usually operate. Usually I wake up with springs popping in my head, like I’m in the middle of a pinball game where I’m the ball, and I shoot out of bed and directly to the kitchen where I ricochet around after food until by chance I snatch some toast off the counter, then go slamming off the padded stool tops like they were lighted bumpers and zing up the hall into the bathroom where I try to brush my teeth, but I brush mostly my lips and chin and I explode back out the door and across the living room and carom off the furniture until Mom gets a grip on me a wipes the toothpaste off my face and works a pill down my throat.”
“I can have good days. Entire days when I wake up and I’m calm inside like water when it’s no boiling, and I just plant my feet on the floor like every kid in America and do a sleepy walk down to the bathroom and take a nice hot shower and wash my hair and dry off and get dressed and eat breakfast and all the while thinking about what I’d like to do with my day. And then the most amazing thing to me is after I think about what I want to do, like read, or see a friend, or say something nice to Mrs. Howard, or write a poem, I actually do all that stuff. That is *amazing* to me. I think it, then I do it. This may be how everyone else operates, but this is not how I usually operate. Usually I wake up with springs popping in my head, like I’m in the middle of a pinball game where I’m the ball, and I shoot out of bed and directly to the kitchen where I ricochet around after food until by chance I snatch some toast off the counter, then go slamming off the padded stool tops like they were lighted bumpers and zing up the hall into the bathroom where I try to brush my teeth, but I brush mostly my lips and chin and I explode back out the door and across the living room and carom off the furniture until Mom gets a grip on me a wipes the toothpaste off my face and works a pill down my throat.”