
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Joey Pigza (Volume 1)Jack Gantos
Square Fish

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$7.99
Square Fish
Square Fish
On Sale: 07/01/2014
ISBN: 9781250061683
176 Pages, Ages 10-14"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 downtown, 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. This title has Common Core connections.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a 1998 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.
NYPLC Children's Books 100, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, NCSS-CBC NotableTrade-Soc.Stdy, American Library Association Notable Children's Books, NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, National Book Awards Finalist, School Library Best Books of the Year, ALA Notable Children's Books, California Young Reader Medal