Bob Seney Column

It all began in 1998 with Jack Gantos’ Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist. This novel was followed in 2000 by the Newbery Honor Book, Joey Pigza Looses Control. Then, finally in 2002, came the last book in Gantos’ Joey trilogy, What Would Joey Do? These delightful novels describe the adventures and misadventures of a wonderful little guy who takes control of his life while attempting to deal with AD/HD and a rather dysfunctional family.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key introduces a young man with big problems. He’s been living with his grandmother. Although she can be emotionally abusive, she provides the only love and stability in Joey’s life until his absent mother returns, determined to take up her parental duties.

At school, Joey doesn’t get along. Following an accident in which another student is injured, Joey is sent to a special education center. There the help of a caring teacher leads to getting Joey on a course of proper medication, smoothing out his mood swings. Eventually Joey returns to his former school where he’s determined to gain control of his life, his actions, and his emotions.

The saga continues in Joey Pigza Looses Control. Now that Joey is in charge of his AD/HD, he feels ready to face “the most mysterious member of his family” – his father, Carter Pigza. The problem is that Carter is as wired as Joey used to be. When Joey comes to spend the summer with Carter, he flushes his son’s medication down the toilet, believing that Joey can kick his AD/HD “cold turkey” just like Carter kicked his alcoholism. Then Joey must decide which is more important – to be friends with his dad or loose his hard-earned self-control. Joey’s attempt to keep the fragile peace in his life and his desire to be “just normal” is heart touching. Joey Pigza may sometimes lose control in this exceptional sequel, but he never loses his heart.

Gantos tops off his trilogy in what may be my favorite of the three. In What Would Joey Do?, Joey’s father, a motorcycle-riding adventurer, come back into his son’s life once again. Carter is something of a lovable rascal who means well but usually creates a mess. Joey’s mother has a love/hate relationship with her former husband; and when they get together, it’s one royal fight. Then there is the ailing and failing Grandma, Joey's one solid connection with the real world (which is a bit scary since Grandma is such a character herself). She realizes that Joey must make friends and that he must make a life for himself outside the family so that he will be all right once she is gone.

Joey tries to fix everyone and everything by being the world's super helper. He attempts to help his mom, his dad, his grandmother and even Olivia, "his blind, bratty, homeschooling partner," who terms herself as the "Mistress of Evil." He even volunteers at the local grocery story by returning miss-shelved items to their proper place. While Joey works he thinks, “If every item in the world and every thought in my brain were in its proper spot, it would be the same as everything in my life being just right." While this is an admirable philosophy, Joey finds that life doesn't often work out that way.

Eventually Joey discovers that he can't help everyone, and that’s when he really finds himself. "…I was wondering who I might be if I didn't have the nutty family I had. And then I realized it didn't matter where I came from. It was where I was going that counts. And as long as I helped myself, I'd be going in the right direction."

What Would Joey Do? is a delightful book full of humor, adventure, a bit of sadness, and a lot of the joy of living. The characters are well drawn and delightful. This book is a perfect example of how important themes can be treated in children's literature. While What Would Joey Do? does stand alone and could be read without reading the other two Joey books, reading them in sequence helps you to more easily chronicle Joey's life and development.

Jack Gantos has given us three books that deal with a delightful character. I have found that the insight that Joey has into his own condition is not unusual among the AD/HD students with whom I have worked. Gantos deals with this serious issue with humor, hope, and sensitivity. The Joey Trilogy does much to help us understand children with AD/HD and explores one very loveable child's search for help that can be a positive model for kids with or without AD/HD. Highly recommended. Happy Reading!

Recently retired from teaching in the Masters of Gifted Studies Program at Mississippi University for Women, Bob Seney is now Professor Emeritus. At conferences, he often presents a session titled “What’s New in Young Adult Literature.” Bob serves on the NAGC Board of Directors. Reach him at bseney@muw.edu.

November, 2006