Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

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Summary: A really interesting look into RSP student's life.
Review: Joey Pigza is as he describes it, "wired wrong." He can't sit still, pay attention, follow direction, or seem to get anything in his life right. That is, when his meds are not working right. Jooey was broght up in a troubled home. His mother left him, and sent him to live with his grandmother as a little child, to follow her drunken husband (back in the day she still imbibed). Not an ideal situation considering that Joey's grandmother is "wired wrong" herself. Joey's mom comes back for him and it isn't until then that things start to change in his life for the better, but not before some more "accidents" happen. He swallows his own house key, wreaks havoc on a class trip, tries to sharpen his fingernail in the pencil sharpener, and ends up cutting off the tip of Maria's nose! His behavior is so erratic and potentially harmnful to himself and other s that he is sent to the town's Special Ed. Center. That is where Joey finally gets the help and things that he needs...and only then do things start to look up for Joey.

The book is great! Kids can relate to Joey Pigza. The book is an interesting insight to the life of a hyperactive young boy.

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Summary: A book about drugs and blindness
Review: This book really bothered me. The writing is terrific. Joey is an interesting kid I liked. His parent-types and teachers were fairly realistic. His "family life" was especially well done, with a combination of neglect, mixed messages, secrets and other dysfunctions all too common in families.

But this is a kid who, like so many others, lives on food laced with sugar and chemicals. He's surrounded at home and at school with fragrances and cleaning chemicals. It is clear in the book that these things set off his severest episodes. As someone with a lot of allergies and chemical sensitivities myself, my heart just broke for this kid who obviously has the same problem, but, like me as a kid, no one knew what it was. I'm grown up now, I've figured out that it's chemicals and foods that make my mind and body go BLAZOOEY! I've learned to deal with these things.

But what happens to Joey?

He gets drugs.

Drugs--!

What kind of message is this to today's kids (and adults!)??

Drugs solve your problems! No need to alter your lifestyle or your behavior, just pop a pill. No need to take responsibility for your health--just get the right meds and all will be well. Is this what we want kids to learn?

Isn't it a lot like sweeping the dirt under the rug?

One more thing--in most books for kids, the main character actually DOES something to solve her/his problem(s). What does Joey do? He just goes along with all the adults shuffling him from this room to that one, from this school to that, from this doctor to that. He just goes along.

Another great message for our kids--just go along, do what you're told, take the pills...

Does this disturb you, too?

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Summary: For kids with ADHD, this book certainly fills a need
Review: The character Joey Pigza is able to articulate his frenetic world and his reaction to it in a way that gives the reader some valuable insights into someone who has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). After I gave a booktalk to a group of elementary school students about this book, there was an undercurrent of excitement and comments like "So-and-so has ADHD," or even "Wow! I have ADHD!" It is so comforting and validating to be able to read about a character who portrays what you are experiencing, and Jack Gantos does an outstanding job of making Joey real. Often the reality of Joey's world is harsh, but there is sufficient comic relief to make reading about him bearable. He is a character for whom you instantly feel empathy and with whom many kids will be able to identify.

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Summary: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Review: Joey Pigza is a fouth grader at a normal public school in a little county in Pennsylvania. Joey is not a normal kid. He has a hyperactive disease that he inherited from his father, whom lives in Pitsburgh. His mother left when he was young. So he now lives with his grandmother who is very uncapable of caring for Joey. At school Joey has some problems with behaving so he is sent to the Learning Disability class. Then a big accident happens and Joey is sent to a Special Ed. school. During this his mother comes home and his grandmother leaves for Pitsburgh. Joey and his mother then go to Pitsburgh to try out a new medicine which works very well. He then goes back to public school and is a "normal kid". I hope you enjoy "Joey Pigza Swallowed The Key".

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Summary: How I Felt!
Review: Joey is a boy like me. He acts the same way I do sometimes. He does things without thinking and gets in trouble. The book shows how I feel when bad things happen to me. He swallowed his house key and the teacher took it away. Sometimes I have similar problems. I can't stay still, and I got my whiteout tape taken away from me by the teacher because I was playing with it in class. This book has helped me because I see that other people feel the same feelings I do.

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Summary: Can't put it down story that swallows you whole!
Review: Joey is a very good kid, but he's living a life on pages where the letters don't match up to spelled-out words and numbers tickle his brain to fly off the page. Right up front, Joey tells you he's "wired." And what is that like? Read his first person narrative and tears of laughter & sorrow will spring up upon, just as if those "dud meds" of Joey's were in YOUR system!

Shhhh...I've got a secret! I think I'm in love with Joey. Although, I hope he doesn't mind if I don't join him for a bite of shoe-fly-pie. I understand he's eating salads these days anyway. And that's my (oh-so-brief) reaction to -Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key- Now, what do the rest of you think? Or are you too busy reading the next title in this series?

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Summary: hummmmmmmmmmmm...
Review: Joey is this type of kid that you don't really want to know or be friends with because of how he acts. The part where he cuts of a piece of this one girl's nose. It led every one to think he was a very bad child. He and his mom have a really hard time in public because everyone knows how he acts.

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Summary: Joey Pigza swallowed the key
Review: This book is an excellent choice for anyone with ADHD children. Your child can really relate to Joey. My son is 8 and we read it together. You follow Joey through all of his "mishaps" throughout the book until finally at the end he realizes why he needs his "meds". He gets his whole life in order once his medicine is at the right level. I'm not too sure about his Mom however! She is not the greatest role model but she tries to do the best for him. This book helped my ADHD child see himself through someone else's eyes.

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Summary: yvette mohill read the book
Review: this book was pretty darn good. all though i don't have add. i can sypthizes with joey. at frist i did like the book when it strarted out but as i kept reading i liked it more.i recomend give this book to kids who have the disorder.i cant wait to read the seqeul.

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Summary: An honest account of ADD
Review: An emotionally charged book told through the eyes of a kid with ADD. I think what makes it so arresting is that the reader goes along for the ride: when Joey loses control, so does the writing, effectively letting the reader see what ADD is really like. And that it CAn be dealt with. An honest account, touching and even funny at times. It makes me want to see what will happen to Joey next.