What Would Joey Do? Book

Gantos, Jack. What Would Joey Do? Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 229 pages. Fictional chapter book, series book.

Description: Ever since going on medicine for ADHD, Joey is intent on helping people. He tries to help his childish parents, his ailing grandma and a blind girl who he is also desperately trying to befriend. In the end, Joey realizes that you really only have control over yourself.

Review: What Would Joey Do? does a wonderful job of occupying the headspace of the hyperactive, Ritalin-medicated Joey. Readers get a first-hand glimpse of the kind of idiosyncratic thoughts that run through Joey's head, which makes the character endearing, interesting and often times, very funny. Older kids will be able to identify with the kinds of thoughts Joey has--especially when Joey struggles to reconcile his wishes with the sometimes harsh realities of his life.

It is actually quite an accomplishment that the book is able to remain so light and funny. In the story, Joey's parents are irresponsible and ridiculously selfish, his grandmother (and sometime guardian) is dying, and the girl who Joey tries to befriend is mean to him. Yet in spite of all this, Joey remains optimistic. Although this is the last book in the Joey Pigza series, I found that the book could be read and enjoyed without having read the two earlier books.

Professional Reviews:

Daley, Maura. Childhood Education, Spring 2003.
Daley's review is actually more of a brief plot summary. She does mention an element of suspense, which is definitely present in the book.

Inchbald, Elizabeth. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, February 2003.
Inchbald stresses that this book is a well done coming-of-age story where Joey realizes that he can only control his own behavior and not other people's. I agree with her that these themes are handled with a light touch and a kind of refreshing irreverancy.