The Joey Pigza Series
By Jack Gantos
Age of Reader
8 - 12 Year Olds
Number of Books in the Series
5
Category
Representation
Books Kei Would Read But Doesn't Want To
ADHD
Kei's Hot Take
"So it’s about a kid with ADHD who makes bad choices… cool, sounds like reading my own FBI file. Decision to be continued to a later date… If you read it, lemme know what happens."
Books In Series
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Joey Pigza Loses Control
What Would Joey Do?
I am Not Joey Pigza
The Key that Swallowed Joey Pigza
Summary
One of the OGs of ADHD literature.
Joey Pigza is impulsive, wild, and deeply lovable. He comes turbo-charged: oversized heart, a mom who’s all-in, and those so-called “calm-down capsules” that work about as hard as a broken vending machine.
When the meds fizzle, Joey’s impulse reel goes full cartoon—think finger meet pencil sharpener, house key à la snack, and a 100-yard dash with scissors (don’t tell OSHA).
One more epic oops and the world’s cracks are ready to swallow him whole, but Joey? He’s not about to vanish.
This neuro-jammin’ mischief machine is hell-bent on hacking his own chaos and proving kids like him don’t slip through gaps—they blast new lanes in living color.