BIBLOGRAPHY
Gantos, Jack. 1998. JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 0-374-33664-4.
PLOT SUMMARY
Joey Pigza is a delightful young boy who has an attention problem. He tries to attend regular school and varying events cause him to visit the Special Education room downstairs. He tries to calm down and his mother had taken him to the doctor for medication. Sometime after he was born his father and mother left him with his paternal grandmother. She asked him to do many things which sometimes scared him and sometimes made him happy. His mother finally returned and the grandmother left. The mother tries hard to teach Joey and help him but his attention disorder is a huge problem. There is a very bad accident at school and Joey is suspended to the Special Education Building downtown. Joey is scared but then sees many students who are “more messed up” then he is on his worst day. They try and help him at the center and he gets to see a different doctor who gets him different medication that seems to work better. After six weeks he is able to return to a mainstream classroom with visits to the Special Education room in the building. Joey and his Mother learn a lot from each other through the story.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Joey is a young man who has the diagnoses of Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. The text relays that Joey’s mother and father leave him and his grandmother cared for him. However, as the text unfolds you see Joey’s grandmother portrayed as sometimes cruel and not knowing how to help Joey and resorts to unconventional efforts. When Joey’s mother returns the grandmother up and leaves one day. Joey’s mother tells Joey that when he takes his medicine she will take hers (an alcoholic drink). Joey’s behavior is expertly conveyed in the text. As you read you can almost see the whirlwind of a child in front of you going through all of the motions. The new doctor at the Special Education Center really tries to help Joey and gets him some different medicine. This seems to help and Joey is excited and scared to return to his mainstream school. This book allows a glimpse into the life of a child and his family dealing with ADD. Until you have lived and worked with a child with this disability you will not truly understand the day to day struggles they encounter.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
American Library Association Notable Children's BooksCalifornia Young Reader MedalNational Book Awards - FinalistSchool Library Journal Best Books of the Year
(accessed from http://www.jackgantos.com/joeypigzaswallowedkey.html)
Horn Book Review, Starred – “In this rollercoaster of a ride, ingenuously and breathlessly narrated by Joey himself, readers are treated to an up-close and personal introduction to life with attention deficit disorder.”
Publisher’s Weekly, Starred –“In a starred review, PW called this National Book Award finalist "an accurate, compassionate and humorous appraisal of a boy with attention-deficit disorder."
VOYA-“There are plenty of Joeys in schools today, and it is good to have one of their stories told with such skill and sympathy.”
Children’s Literature-“Gantos takes the reader into the fractured world of the child with what we today call ADHD. Whose road to what we might call normalcy is rocky beyond imagining. The reader follows that road in this story, with Joey's direct, edgy, matter-of-fact voice as guide. Gritty, often disturbing, yet ending with a glimpse of the awesome resilience of this young protagonist.”
School Library Journal, Starred-“Joey Pigza is wired. His prescription "meds" are no match for his mood swings. His mom's been warned that if he keeps acting up he could be transferred to the downtown special-ed center for problem kids.”
Kirkus Reviews-“Gantos takes readers right inside a human whirlwind where the ride is bumpy and often frightening, especially for Joey. But a river of compassion for the characters runs through the pages, not only for Joey but for his overextended mom and his usually patient, always worried (if only for their safety) teachers. Mature readers will find this harsh tale softened by unusual empathy and leavened by genuinely funny events.”
CONNECTIONS
This book touches on a child with a disability. This is an opportunity to discuss other disabilities that children in the school or area may have. Some children may be reluctant to share private information and should not be forced to share.
ADD/ADHD Parenting tips - http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm
ADD/ADHD Teaching tips - http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/add.html
C.H.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)- http://www.chadd.org/
Book cover image from Barnes & Noble.
Gantos, Jack. 1998. JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 0-374-33664-4.
PLOT SUMMARY
Joey Pigza is a delightful young boy who has an attention problem. He tries to attend regular school and varying events cause him to visit the Special Education room downstairs. He tries to calm down and his mother had taken him to the doctor for medication. Sometime after he was born his father and mother left him with his paternal grandmother. She asked him to do many things which sometimes scared him and sometimes made him happy. His mother finally returned and the grandmother left. The mother tries hard to teach Joey and help him but his attention disorder is a huge problem. There is a very bad accident at school and Joey is suspended to the Special Education Building downtown. Joey is scared but then sees many students who are “more messed up” then he is on his worst day. They try and help him at the center and he gets to see a different doctor who gets him different medication that seems to work better. After six weeks he is able to return to a mainstream classroom with visits to the Special Education room in the building. Joey and his Mother learn a lot from each other through the story.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Joey is a young man who has the diagnoses of Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. The text relays that Joey’s mother and father leave him and his grandmother cared for him. However, as the text unfolds you see Joey’s grandmother portrayed as sometimes cruel and not knowing how to help Joey and resorts to unconventional efforts. When Joey’s mother returns the grandmother up and leaves one day. Joey’s mother tells Joey that when he takes his medicine she will take hers (an alcoholic drink). Joey’s behavior is expertly conveyed in the text. As you read you can almost see the whirlwind of a child in front of you going through all of the motions. The new doctor at the Special Education Center really tries to help Joey and gets him some different medicine. This seems to help and Joey is excited and scared to return to his mainstream school. This book allows a glimpse into the life of a child and his family dealing with ADD. Until you have lived and worked with a child with this disability you will not truly understand the day to day struggles they encounter.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
American Library Association Notable Children's BooksCalifornia Young Reader MedalNational Book Awards - FinalistSchool Library Journal Best Books of the Year
(accessed from http://www.jackgantos.com/joeypigzaswallowedkey.html)
Horn Book Review, Starred – “In this rollercoaster of a ride, ingenuously and breathlessly narrated by Joey himself, readers are treated to an up-close and personal introduction to life with attention deficit disorder.”
Publisher’s Weekly, Starred –“In a starred review, PW called this National Book Award finalist "an accurate, compassionate and humorous appraisal of a boy with attention-deficit disorder."
VOYA-“There are plenty of Joeys in schools today, and it is good to have one of their stories told with such skill and sympathy.”
Children’s Literature-“Gantos takes the reader into the fractured world of the child with what we today call ADHD. Whose road to what we might call normalcy is rocky beyond imagining. The reader follows that road in this story, with Joey's direct, edgy, matter-of-fact voice as guide. Gritty, often disturbing, yet ending with a glimpse of the awesome resilience of this young protagonist.”
School Library Journal, Starred-“Joey Pigza is wired. His prescription "meds" are no match for his mood swings. His mom's been warned that if he keeps acting up he could be transferred to the downtown special-ed center for problem kids.”
Kirkus Reviews-“Gantos takes readers right inside a human whirlwind where the ride is bumpy and often frightening, especially for Joey. But a river of compassion for the characters runs through the pages, not only for Joey but for his overextended mom and his usually patient, always worried (if only for their safety) teachers. Mature readers will find this harsh tale softened by unusual empathy and leavened by genuinely funny events.”
CONNECTIONS
This book touches on a child with a disability. This is an opportunity to discuss other disabilities that children in the school or area may have. Some children may be reluctant to share private information and should not be forced to share.
ADD/ADHD Parenting tips - http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm
ADD/ADHD Teaching tips - http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/add.html
C.H.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)- http://www.chadd.org/
Book cover image from Barnes & Noble.
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