Title: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Author: Jack Gantos
First published January 1, 1998
160 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780064408332 (ISBN10: 0064408337)
Rating: 3.76
Overview
Meet Joey Pigza – he’s always on the go, always breaking the rules, and always getting into trouble. Despite his best efforts, he can’t seem to keep his behavior under control, especially when his medication isn’t working.
It’s not entirely his fault, though; after all, his dad and grandma have the same problems. From swallowing his house key to causing chaos on class trips, Joey’s antics are starting to become too much for his teachers to handle.
They’re threatening to send him to a special-ed center, and Joey doesn’t know what to do. He knows he’s a good kid at heart, but will he ever be able to prove it?
About the Author
Jack Gantos is a well-known American children’s author famous for creating the character of Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD, as well as other memorable characters like Rotten Ralph, Jack Henry, and his own memoirs. Gantos has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Newbery Honor, Scott O’Dell Award, Printz Honor, and Sibert Honor from the American Library Association.
He has also been a finalist for the National Book Award.
Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, to John Gantos, a construction superintendent, and Elizabeth Weaver Gantos, a banker. He was raised in Barbados and South Florida.
Gantos discovered his passion for writing in sixth grade when he read his sister’s diary and believed he could write better than her. He began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later turned them into stories.
After high school, Gantos lived in a welfare motel and trained to become a builder. However, he realized that construction was not his calling and started saving for college.
While in St. Croix, he met a drug smuggler who offered him a chance to earn $10,000 by sailing to New York with 2,000 pounds of hash. He accepted the offer and set sail with an eccentric English captain.
They arrived in New York and stayed at the Chelsea hotel while Gantos dreamed about college. However, things took a turn for the worse when the FBI caught up with him.
He managed to escape and hid out in the same welfare motel he lived in during high school. Eventually, he turned himself in and was sentenced to six years in prison, which he later wrote about in his book “Hole in My Life.” After a year and a half in prison, he applied to college, was accepted, and began his writing career.
Gantos earned his BFA and MA from Emerson College. While in college, he collaborated with an illustrator friend on his first book, “Rotten Ralph,” which was published in 1976.
He continued to write children’s books while teaching courses in children’s book writing. He even created the master’s degree program in children’s book writing at Emerson College.
In 1995, he resigned from his tenured position to focus on his writing career, which turned out to be a wise decision.
Gantos married art dealer Anne A. Lower in 1989, and they have one child, Mabel.
They currently reside in Boston, Massachusetts.
Editoral Review
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a novel written by American author Jack Gantos, first published in 1998. The novel is part of the young adult genre and explores themes of attention deficit disorder, family dynamics, and self-discovery.
Gantos is a prolific author, having written dozens of books for younger readers, and has won many awards for his work. The story centers around Joey Pigza, a young boy with attention deficit disorder and a medication regime that doesn’t always go as planned.
Joey is dealing with his parents’ recent divorce and is struggling to fit in at school. One day, he accidentally swallows his house key, forcing him to confront his own impulsivity and emotional turmoil.
Throughout the book, Joey navigates his own challenges and learns valuable lessons about himself and the world around him. With Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Gantos delves into the experience of living with attention deficit disorder, a topic that remains highly relevant to many children and young adults today.
Through Joey’s experiences, Gantos brings to life a young boy struggling with both his own identity and the expectations of the adults around him. The novel also touches on universal themes, such as the importance of family, the difficulties of growing up, and the power of forgiveness.
The strength of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key lies in its empathetic portrayal of the protagonist, Joey. Gantos deftly weaves together elements of humor and sadness, crafting a narrative that is both entertaining and moving.
The interactions between Joey and his family members, particularly his grandmother and absent father, are poignant and layered, revealing much about the state of their relationships. However, the novel is not without its flaws, one being the pacing.
At times, the story feels rushed, as if Gantos is trying to pack too much into one book. Additionally, some of the secondary characters, such as Joey’s classmates, are not fully fleshed out, leaving the reader wanting more from them.
Overall, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a thoughtful and engaging novel that will resonate with many young readers. While it may not be perfect, Gantos’ skillful writing and empathetic storytelling make it worth reading.
The novel is highly recommended for readers looking to explore issues of attention deficit disorder, family dynamics, and self-discovery. Rating: 4/5 stars.
