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    The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza
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    The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza
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    The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza
    Audiobook3 hours

    The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza

    Published by Penguin Random House Audio

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The fifth and final book in the groundbreaking Joey Pigza series brings the beloved chronicle of this wired, wacky, and wonderful boy to a crescendo of chaos and craziness, as everything goes topsy-turvy for Joey just as he starts to get his feet on the ground. With his dad MIA in the wake of appearance-altering plastic surgery, Joey must give up school to look after his new baby brother and fill in for his mom, who hospitalizes herself to deal with a bad case of postpartum blues. As his challenges mount, Joey discovers a key that could unlock the secrets to his father's whereabouts, a mystery that must be solved before Joey can even hope that his broken family might somehow come back together-if only it doesn't pull him apart first.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 28, 2014
    ISBN9781101891940
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza

    4/5

    341 ratings45 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Funny but heart rendering.
    • 3/5
      Joey struggles to obey. His medication only helps sometimes. He finds his attention span and his ability to sit still stops when his medication wears off. He feels trapped to do what his body wants him to do, even when he knows he should sit still and listen.

      The author presents a compelling case for medicating behavior. It allows the reader to enter the child's mind and struggle to do what is right. It also gives hope for parents who have children who were drug/alcohol babies who are now violent, hurt themselves, have difficulty learning, sitting still and understanding consequences.

      The author's conclusion---finding the right medicine that will control Joey's behavior, is based on the assumption that behavior can be controlled by the body's chemical disfunction, and not by a soul who chooses wrong. This premise I would disagree with---but would sympathize with the mother's desire to find something that would help.

      Some parts of the book were too gross even for my boys to want to read, although their laughter at other parts let me know they could relate.

      Some parts were too real in what we saw with an example we know about drug babies to 'enjoy' the book---but did give witness that it wasn't an isolated example.

      Perhaps not a children's book, but more for a parent who has a child like this. His antics from a parent's view was nothing to be laughed at, yet some of my boys thought he was hilarious. Others thought it sad, (too real to laugh at.)

      Glad the mother and Joey were given hope.
    • 4/5
      Genre: Contemporary Realistic FictionThis book is definitely possible because it tells of the perspective of a boy named Joey Pigza and how he grows up with some form of a cognitive disability. The story and characters are made up by the author Jack Gantos. Through the book Joey is discovering what it means and looks like to live with his disability. THe heart wrenching story is sad on many levels. Joey's home life is very unstable, and his school like is spun into a whirlwind as his teachers try to deal with his behavior. This would definitely be a difficult book to giv to one of my students to read, and I am not sure it's entirely appropriate on every level, but with a mature student I think it could be a beneficial read to help them to understand where others come from or to help them relate to a character that has a similar story. I could also read excerpts from the story to illustrate how people that feel different can think about themselves, and how friends can help with those feelings. This is a chapter book so there isn't any media throughout the book but the covere looks like mixed media for the illustration.
    • 4/5
      Loved this middle school book, gave me insight into my ADHD kids.
    • 4/5
      I read this book for a Children with Disabilities Course in the Library via ALA. I’ve read Dead End in Norvelt by Gantos before, but I loved Joey Pigza way more. Joey had ADHD, and struggles with paying attention and keeping still. It was great getting inside the head of someone with ADHD, and I look forward to reading more Joey Pigza books.
    • 4/5
      I have never worked with students who had ADHD, so this book was very insightful for me. It tells the story of a boy who has ADHD and how he goes through school. Since the story is told through Joey's eyes, this book allows readers to understand what children with ADHD are thinking and how they make their decisions. As a teacher, reading this book can help me be more understanding of my students who have ADHD.
    • 5/5
      Joey is such an interesting character. ADHD with a crazy family. I loved reading this story. "Can I get back to you on that?" is Joey's favorite response to questions and I can imagine that would drive everyone crazy!
    • 3/5
      Grades: 2nd and up Genre: Contemporary Realistic FictionLesson/Topic: ADHD, Special Education, and neglectReview: A story written from the perspective of a boy with ADHD and his journey to get help with school and try to stay under control. I enjoyed it as a future teacher to help me better understand these "trouble" students, who it may not be completely their fault when things go what we consider as "wrong".
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading this book because of the figurative language that is used. For example, when Joey "accidentally" sharpens his finger nail, the author writes in such a away that you can imagine Joey's bloody finger and him running around the room. I also enjoyed reading this book because that author includes quotes from Joey such as, "Hearing stuff like that about me makes me sad." This comes from when Joey and his Mom were talking about what his folder says about him and that they are all not so nice things. I think it is a good representation of how someone who is really in the same situation as Joey and how they might feel. The main message of this book is to portray what it is like for someone to live with ADHD and how them having it affects everyone around them including teachers, peers, and family. The book speaks to show that with support students with this disability can learn how to cope.
    • 5/5
      Overview"They say I'm wired bad, or wired sad, but there's no doubt about it — I'm wired."Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn't stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot - and eventually he bounces himself all the way downown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen.In this antic yet poignant new novel, Jack Gantos has perfect pitch in capturing the humor, the off-the-wall intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with hyper-activity and related disorders.
    • 3/5
      I hate Joey. And his mother. And his grandmother. I cannot empathize or even sympathize with any of them. Everything Joey does he "can't help" because of his brain or his drugs. I can't accept that. I know plenty of children (and adults) just like Joey and Joey just seems to have zero self-control. Self-control is difficult for everyone, but if you provide a strong enough motivation, it can be found. Instead, Joey is routinely rewarded or excused from his lack of self control. Nope. Nope nope nope.
    • 5/5
      This is what I was thinking as I read: I've read a lot of good (and not so good) books about kids with autism and asperger's. This is the only one I've read about ADHD, which is more common. And yet, the thing is, it's the only one necessary. Gantos masterfully makes the reader feel just as 'wired' as Joey, and just as frustrated.

      He's such a lovable and smart and loving kid, and everyone is really trying to do right by him. Even his grandma in her own messed up way did love him and get him this far. I love that it's made clear that Joey isn't just hyper, he's also impulsive, easily distracted, and impatient. And meds aren't a magic bullet. I'm definitely going to read the sequels.

      Two bookdarts: You know you're a kid with challenges when you're leaving the school nurse's office and she casually says, See you later."

      And I like his mom's advice, for any of us, "When you think of anything bad, you quick have to think of something good. And you can never, never think of three things bad in a row or else you will feel just awful."

      I found it interesting that my library copy had pencil scribbles on several pages, as if an impulsive kid had gotten his hands on it?"
    • 3/5
      Gave some great insight into the mind of a school-age boy with ADHD and a mother who takes her "medicine" when Joey takes his pills. I'd like to get my husband's opinion for a boys' perspective, and I'm curious how kids respond to it. I could see them enjoying the spontaneity of Joey Pigza's actions but wonder how much of the mom's behavior they would pick up on.
    • 4/5
      Both hysterically funny and heartbreaking all at once, Joey Pigza is a kid everyone can root for. When we first meet Joey Pigza, he is bouncing off the walls - literally! Joey is wired all the time, but especially in the afternoons, even though his medication is supposed to help him focus through the whole school day. Life is definitely never dull around Joey - you never know what he'll get into his head to do next: Sharpen his fingernails with a pencil sharpener? Pretend to be a tasmanian devil? Eat a whole shoofly pie and jump out of a hayloft? Swallow his house key? Joey's mom and his teachers do what they can to help Joey make good decisions, but these adults are far from perfect and they don't always know how to help. While Joey's adventures can be funny, they get more and more dangerous and soon he's landed himself in Special Ed - his last chance - what happens if he can't make it work? Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is an insightful look into the mind of a kid who's doing the best he can against the overwhelming odds of ADD and an unstable home.

      Parts of this book just tore my heart out while I was reading them. When Joey's grandmother tricks him into thinking his mom has called and that if he can just sit still and quiet she'll come home, it's absolutely gutwrenching. I love that Gantos makes most of the adults far from perfect, but still invested in Joey's best interests. This was a great discussion title for my 3rd-5th graders; although some of them thought it was too gross, they all had interesting things to say about what they had read.

      March 2009 Cover 2 Cover selection.
    • 5/5
      Joey gives us a glimpse into the mind of a child who appears to be purposefully driving everyone else nuts been all reality is attempting to make the right choice. Hearing his internal dialogue prior, during, and after an event makes you just want to reach out to hug him. I also felt this deep anger for the way they treated him at school but I think it's written in that way to really get the reader thinking. I believe this book would help children with ADHD hear a portion of their voice in it as well as helping other children understand ADHD. It would also prompt a great discuss on our impulses vs. our control. I found this book highly refreshing because the main character wasn't "perfect" but a normal child struggling with something in his life. It felt like reality.
    • 5/5
      Joey Pigza is many of my students, or so it seems. The difference is that while Joey can have a sense of humor about his predicaments, some of the students I’ve met can’t. I liked how the condition he deals with is shared by family members and others. For those of us that don’t experience such a disorder, this is a great book that, at least, pushes us in the direction of understanding if not some empathy. The characters are written intelligently and have intelligence, something that can be easily overlooked by an author that is more focused on laughs. Gantos’s use of humor is a key to reaching all readers, not just those with a vested interest in ADHD.
    • 3/5
      4Q 3PJoey Pigza is a young boy dealing with the return of his long absent mother and struggling with severe ADHD. While some of his outbursts and mishaps are comical and will make readers laugh, other moments are jarring and reveal the great difficulties the disorder creates. An enriching book that informs as it entertains.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book because it was very funny and i would recommend this boook for anyone one who likes historical fiction.joey is a kid that has some problems who cant stay still or anything and who gets in trouble alot for that.Also my favorite part in this book is when he swallowes this key and he went to the nurses office and she gives him a choice of going to the doctor or her give him some medcine and let nature take its course...... To find out what he picks read Joey Pigza swallowed th key.
    • 5/5
      this book is about this kid names joey pigza and he has ADHD and he is having problems at school he cuts one of the girl nose off,he swallows a key and has to be sent to the nurse and also when he cut that girls nose off he had to go to a special school for special kids he only had to stay their for a little while but he learned how to control tha but he had to get new medicine so he went to a different state to wa special doctor to get the right medicine because the other wasnt working very well for him and all i have to say about this book is that it is awesome and that it would be a great book for someone in 6th grade!!! my favorite book ever
    • 4/5
      Joey Pigza has a bad case of ADHD. He is taking medications, but they do not work very well. After he has been living with his not-very-kind grandmother for several years, his mother finally returns to take care of him. Joey constantly gets in trouble at school because he loses control of himself, and starts behaving in ways that can be dangerous to him (such as sticking his finger in the pencil sharpener, or walking on a beam at the top of a barn during a field trip), and to others (he cuts off the tip of one of his classmates’ nose). He ends up being sent to a special education center in order to help him gain better control of his life. Thanks to the structure of that school, the caring attention of a teacher, and new medication, he does get better by the end of the book, and is allowed to return to his original school. This book accurately portrays the struggles and shifting emotions that a child suffering from ADHD might go through. The anguish and guilt caused by seeing oneself do things uncontrollably when one wants to behave well is well conveyed. The first-person narrative puts the reader in Joey’s shoes, and we almost feel ourselves spinning out of control when he does. Joey is an endearing little kid, and after being taken for a wild rollercoaster ride along with Joey, the reader really feels for him, and wants him to succeed in his quest to get better. This is definitely a book that would interest children with ADHD as well as their parents and teachers. Grade 5 and up.
    • 3/5
      Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a book about a young boy who struggles with attention and emotional disorders. Jack Gantos wrote this story through the eyes of Joey, giving readers insight on the thoughts and struggles of a child dealing with ADHD. The book chronicles Joey's attempts at being "normal" and the aftermath of what happens once his medication wears off. Although there are funny parts in this story, younger readers will not understand the underlining meaning of his problems. Furthermore, the content in this book is heavy because Joey not only is dealing with health issues, he was mentally abused by his Grandmother and was abandoned by his parents (his mother does return). The story does realistically portray aspects of growing up in a broken home, the school system (specifically special education), experiences of a child dealing with this type of condition and how adults and children respond to others with a disability. This story exposes the severity and hardships of an individual living with such conditions along with the cruelty and compassion that lies within others. In the end, Joey gains confidence and hope in his situation and himself with the change of medication and a structured environment. Overall this book is enlightening and thought-provoking, but one that I would not consider for younger children to read. Aside from talks of poop and gory details of cutting the tip off of someone's nose, the book deals with issues that are for mature readers and in some parts the story moves slow. Age Appropriate: 6th grade and UpFamilies with children living with ADHD, educators and older kids with ADHD could identify with Joey. The book will provoke emotions.
    • 4/5
      Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, by Jack Gantos, is an unflinching look inside the world of a child with ADHD. Joey is an out-of-control kid who just can’t seem to get his act together, much to the dismay of his teachers, classmates, and family. Without a strong parental figure at home and without the right medication, it’s no wonder that Joey is a destructive whirlwind of a boy. However, Gantos helps the reader to understand and sympathize with Joey, a truly remarkable accomplishment for a protagonist of Joey’s nature.Over the course of the novel, we see Joey Pigza’s behavior in all its ugly glory: he chops off the tip of a classmate’s nose, climbs the rafters of an Amish barn, and (of course) swallows his house key… which is returned to him later in the expected, defecating fashion. Of course, Joey isn’t entirely to blame for his behavior: early on in the novel, Gantos explains that Joey’s father abandoned the family long ago, his grandmother is even crazier than he is, and his long-absent mother has just returned to his life. Gantos even hints that Joey’s ADHD is a result of Joey’s mother drinking too much during her pregnancy. With family like this, it’s no wonder that poor Joey is such a mess!Gantos’s stream-of-consciousness narration cleverly recreates the ADHD within Joey’s brain, and helps the reader to identify with behavior that otherwise seems outlandish and unrealistic. Of course, we all know children like Joey: kids who simply lack the self-control to maintain basic, “normal” behavior. There is a kid like Joey in every classroom, albeit sometimes with better medication and self-control than others. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key will help readers to sympathize with each “Joey” encountered in life, and will (hopefully) humanize real individuals with such disabilities. This is an incredible book with a powerful message, and it will undoubtedly help children develop tolerance and understanding for others.Citation:Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. Print.
    • 4/5
      Gantos, J., (1998). Joey pigza swallowed the key. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux."Joey Pigza," is a realistic fiction book about a boy with ADHD. It is written in a way that is believable, and it gives much insight into the mind of a child with ADHD. The reader can gain a greater understanding of what a child might be thinking before, during, and after their actions. Joey has had a tough go of it, but he believes that he is a good kid, and he never means to do the things he does. The reader can totally sympathize with his character, and for someone who doesn't understand what a child with ADHD goes through, this book can certainly clear up any questions. Although the story was written over 10 years ago, the subject is contemporary and universal. It can also be a controversial topic, and Gantos deals with this issue carefully and respectfully. It is not only an excellent book to help other children that might have come into contact with friends in school, or even relatives with this condition, but it is also excellent read for adults.
    • 5/5
      Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos is the first book in a series of four books about delightfully hyper Joey Pigza.Joey's parents are divorced, and when he was quite young his mother left him with his ornery grandmother to look for Joey's alcoholic father, Carter Pigza. Thus, for a few years of his life, Joey is raised by his grandma (his father's mother). Joey's grandma is mean and grouchy and is unable to help Joey with his own problematic behavior which is a result of his ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).As a result, when Joey's mom returns one day, Joey is kind of a mess. He is on "dud meds" and has caused many problems at school. Poor Joey means well, but he gets so curious and energized that he often makes poor decisions. Eventually, there is an accident at school, and Joey is sent to a special education center. While at the center, Joey is given thorough attention and learns some positive tools to use in order to be successful in life. Most importantly, with the help of new medication, Joey learns he isn't "bad" or "crazy." He's just a bit different. The story is interesting and well told. It is a great book to read for all those curious about what it is like to have ADHD. Also, the audio version which is read by Jack Gantos is extremely entertaining. Mr. Gantos really knows Joey and brings the story to complete life. I love this series and would highly recommend it to anyone!
    • 4/5
      Joey Pigza cannot sit still; his world is in constant motion, and he runs and bounces from one misadventure to the next. The first person narration is dizzying. Joey’s repeated response: “I”ll have to get back to you” reveals the zipping pace of his concentration. By the time someone asks for his attention, he has moved onto a new set of actions. The story remains consistent in its first person telling of Joey’s world. We can feel his quickening pulse, sense his confusion over school rules, and feel the upheaval of his home life.The story also does a good job of showing the possible genetic factors contributing to his attention deficit as well as the inability of family members to help him. His father abandoned him when he was young. His grandmother’s care of him was erratic and cruel, and his mother, who re-enters his life, copes by downing an amaretto when Joey takes his medications. We root for Joey as help comes his way, but some of the changes happen a little too quickly to be fully believable.
    • 4/5
      Wish I had read this last year when Joey Pigza was a student of mine. Thank you fiction.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to like the book, but exhausting. Although - I d=felt for him. If I was this exhausted reading his thoughts, how hard was it to have the thoughts? What age to use with - marketed for 10 + but probably better middle grades? Hard to say
    • 4/5
      4P; RC: Changing perspectives and changing boundaries.
    • 4/5
      4starPAges 8 to 11Radical ChangeJoey tries to be good, but he just can't sit still. His adventures and misadventures include trying to sharpen his nail to a point, causing mischief at an Amish farm on a field trip, and swallowing his key. But when he accidentally rams into another girl while holding a pair of sharp scissors, he has to go to a Special Ed. school and figure out his medication and his behavior. "No, I'm not like Kerwin. I can have good days. Entire days when I wake up and I'm calm inside like water when it's not boiling, and I just plan my feet the floor like every other kid in American 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 inside 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 and into the bathroom where I try to brush my teeth, but I brush mostly my lips and chin and then I explode back out the door and across the living room and carom off the furniture until Mom gets a grip on me and wipes the toothpaste off my face and works a pill down my throat."
    • 4/5
      Everything is wrong in Joey Pigza’s life and it seems like there is nothing Joey can do to fix things. His grandmother, left to raise him after his parents disappeared, treats him cruelly. Joey can’t seem to sit still or stop getting in trouble. Then Joey’s mom returns and he desperately wants to get his life in control. But, still, Joey continues to sharpen his own finger and to swallow his house key and to cause problems on the class field trip. It is only after Joey goofs up worst of all, only after Joey cuts off his classmate’s nose and is sent to a special school, that Joey meets a teacher who shows Joey how to get the help he needs. This book takes a reader right inside the mind of a child with ADD. It’s a painful book to read at times, but it feels very authentic.