About This Book
In "What Would Joey Do?", Jack Gantos continues the story of Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD trying to make sense of his turbulent life. Joey's father, also with ADHD, causes chaos, leading to a restraining order and his mother's new relationship. Joey is homeschooled with Olivia, a blind girl who believes her misbehavior is destiny. As Joey tries to "fix" everyone, he grapples with his grandmother's death and learns the crucial lesson of self-care. This book is a poignant exploration of family dysfunction, friendship, grief, and the journey of self-discovery, suitable for middle-grade readers aged 8-12.
Concepts
Self-Confidence & IdentityResilience & PerseveranceLove & FamilyAnger & FrustrationSadness & GriefLoneliness & BelongingFriendship & LoyaltyEmpathy & KindnessJustice & FairnessFear & BraveryShame & GuiltFreedom & IndependenceParents DivorcingDeath of a Loved OneMaking FriendsBeing DifferentNeurodivergenceGrowing UpFamily & SiblingsFriendship & SocialDogsSchool Life
Character Death
family_conflict
illness
abandonment
peril_danger
Discussion Prompts
1
How does Joey try to "fix" the problems in his family and with Olivia? Were his attempts successful?
2
What does Joey learn about helping others versus helping himself?
3
How does Olivia's belief about her blindness affect her actions? How does Joey's grandmother help her?
4
How does Joey deal with the grief of losing his grandmother?
5
What does it mean for Joey to "move in his own direction; forward" at the end of the book?
External Reviews
More in Joey Pigza
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