Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a children’s novel, was written by Jack Gantos. The book was initially published in 1998 by Square Fish, a trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group; the work was a National Book Award Finalist, an American Library Association notable children’s book, and the School Library Journal’s book of the year. The novel’s 10-year-old protagonist, Joey Pigza, deals with an unnamed hyperactive disorder, abandonment, and academic problems before finding some stability after his mother’s return. This summary is based on the 1998 paperback edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain instances and discussions of alcohol abuse, mental illness, and physical/emotional abuse.

Plot Summary

Joey Pigza voices this first-person narrative. He is about 10 years old and is challenged by his own erratic, impulsive behavior. It is inferred that Joey may suffer from ADHD and associated disorders; however, the author never gives a diagnosis. The boy lives with his paternal grandmother, who appears to suffer from a form of mood disorder and has often administered inappropriate punishments to Joey. His own parents absconded when Joey was in kindergarten. Conflicts ensue when his mother eventually returns to care for him and attempts to impose rules and order upon the household; Joey’s grandmother, who notes that being “wired” is a family trait shared by herself, Joey’s father and the young boy, leaves to reside with her son.