Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

Gantos, J.  (1998).  Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key.  New York:  HarperTrophy.

Joey has always had problems sitting still, and lately it's gotten worse, especially when his medication wears off before the ned of the day, and things never seem to work out right for him, even when he tries his hardest to stay calm, be still, and not cause any trouble.  Will he be able to get a hold of himself and get things right?

Joey Pigza has a hard time sitting still, paying attention, and following the rules. It's hard for him, especially when his medication wears off after lunch. Joey knows he is a good kid. His classmates and office staff like him, and he's a nice boy, but sometimes he just can't control himself, and that's when he gets in trouble or accidents happen. It seems like the harder he tries to do something good, something bad ends up happening instead, but it is not his fault. He just needs the right dose of his medicine. Mrs. Maxy, his teacher, and Mrs. Jarzab, the principal, say that the school downtown will help him learn to make good decisions, behave, and stay focused, but will going to that school really help Joey?  Joey promises his mom to try his best and then everything will go back to normal and he could go back to the way things were.  Working at the school and with his doctor, teacher, and mom, Joey gets what he needs and is able to help himself concentrate, stay calm, and stay focused, but he knows that he has to keep it up, not give up, and always try his best.
I could not help rooting for Joey! He seems like someone I would have wanted to know: nice, funny, and not afraid to tell people what is on his mind. He really is a good kid, and he does try hard to be good and stay out of trouble, but he can't help it when things go wrong. I think students would also root for Joey and even laugh as he gets himself into a few sticky situations and tries to get out of them.  The title of this book refers to a scene in the book where Joey swallowed his house key.

This book was a National Book Award Finalist.  Another book about Joey Pigza is Joey Pigza Loses Control, which is a Newbery Honor book.  Visit http://www.jackgantos.com/ to learn about the author.  In addition to the Joey Pigza books, Jack Gantos also wrote young adult novles which include The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs, Hole in My Life, and Desire Lines.