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Joey Pigza loses control ISBN: 9780440864707
Gantos, Jack
Published by Corgi Yearling, 2001
In this sequel to 'Joey Pigza swallowed the key', Joey is on his way to visit his father for the first time. His ADHD is under control now, but his mum is concerned about his spending six weeks with his 'wired' and supposedly cured alcoholic dad and his equally wired grandmother. At first all seems to go reasonably well. Dad talks all the time and never seems to listen to Joey, but when Joey becomes the ace pitcher for dad's baseball team, all seems set fair. Then dad starts drinking - only beer, he says - but it makes him think he can sort everything out, and he insists that Joey stops taking his medication. Joey isn't happy about this, but at first he doesn't seem badly affected. When he loses the big game because he is out of control, dad goes ballistic and calls him terrible names. Joey's mum comes to rescue him, and he realises that he and dad will never be close. Again, told in the first person by Joey himself, he shows us a child who faces immense problems, both within himself and from those who should love and protect him. While this is an excellent follow-on, for reading therapy purposes the first book should be the first option - there is more description of what it is really like to have ADHD.
Age: 10+