Joey Pigza Loses Control

Title: Joey Pigza Loses Control
Author: Jack Gantos
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (March 5, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780064410229
ISBN-13: 978-0064410229

Synopsis: In the second book in this series about mixed up, tumbled-about, hyperactive Joey Pigza, Joey and his dog, Pablo, go to visit his father for the summer - A father Joey doesn't remember. Carter Pigza turns out to be just like Joey, only bigger and in denial that he has problems. Carter insists that Joey doesn't need medication to control his ADD, he just needs willpower. Just when Joey had a handle on his ADD, Carter comes into his life and flushes all Joey's medicine down the toilet. As Joey feels his control slipping away and all his old bad habits coming back, he wonders (as does the reader) if he will ever find his way back to control again.

Review:  As the parent of a child with ADHD (although not nearly as severe as Joey's), my heart hurt reading this book. Carter's insistence that all Joey needs to be "normal" is more willpower is so familiar to me. The fact that my son is medicated to help him focus has been questioned (and re-questioned ad inifinitum) by family, friends, and even people who are virtual strangers. Joey is a fully formed, multidimensional character. He practically leaps off the page; however, the same cannot be said for some of the adult characters. At times, the adults in Joey's life seem more like caricatures than real people. Because the books are aimed at middle schoolers, this is not detrimental to the story. As it should be, the main focus is on Joey and his internal dialogue. While in some parts the book was depressing, it was also by turns uplifting and hilarious.

Awards/Reviews:

 - Newbery Honor Book

 - ALA Notable Book

 - Publishers Weekly Best Book

 - School Library Journal Best Book

 - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book

 - New York Times Book Review Notable Book

 - Booklist Editors' Choice

 - Horn Book Fanfare Book

"Hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening." - School Library Journal, starred review

"A truly memorable read." - ALA Booklist, starred review

"Like its predecessor, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease. Struggling to please everyone even as he sees himself hurtling toward disaster, Joey emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his heart of gold never loses its shine." - Publishers Weekly

"Jack Gantos's second book about Joey Pigza is just as delightful and soulful as his first. Joey's attempts to keep the fragile peace in his life intact are touching, and his intense longing to just be normal will mirror the feelings of most preteens, whether they have ADD or not. Joey Pigza may sometimes lose control, but he never loses his heart. This is an exceptional sequel." - Amazon.com

Connections:

Read students the passage on page 52 in which Joey talks about "becoming two Joeys" — "one Joey for Mom and a different Joey for Dad."

As a class, discuss what Joey means in the above quote. Ask students: Have you ever felt this way? When? Why? They may wish to share their personal stories of feeling like two different people; for example, a student may feel like one person with their friends and a different person with their parents or teachers. What problems does this cause for you? What problems does this cause for Joey?

As a follow-up to this discussion, have students write a journal entry (prose or poetry) about a time in their lives when they felt like they had to be two different versions of themselves.

Ask students to further explore the idea of dual identities. Ask students to imagine the "two Joeys" having a dialogue or conversation. What would they say to each other? What is on the mind of "Mom's Joey"? What is on the mind of "Dad's Joey"? Make a list of the different thoughts, concerns, and opinions of the two Joeys.