Book Description

Joey Pigza can't sit still. He can't pay attention, he can't follow the rules, and he can't help it -- especially when his meds aren't working. Joey's had problems ever since he was born, problems just like his dad and grandma have. And whether he's wreaking havoc on a class trip or swallowing his house key, Joey's problems are getting worse. In fact, his behavior is so off the wall that his teachers are threatening to send him to the special-ed center downtown.

Joey knows he's really a good kid, but no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, something always seems to go wrong. Will he ever get anything right?

00-01 Sunshine State Young Reader's Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-5), 00-01 Sunshine State Young Reader's Award Masterlist (Gr. 6-8), 2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist, 01 AZ Young Reader Award Masterlist (Teen Bks cat.), 00-01 Minnesota's Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award Masterlist, 00-01 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6), 00-01 Young Reader's Choice Award Program Masterlist, Pacific NW Library Assoc. 2001 Young Reader's Choice Award Masterlist, and 00-01 Lone Star Reading List

Reviews (101)

Joey Pigza Swallowed the key
Joey Pigza Swallows the Key
By Jack Gantos
...

This summer I read one of the funniest books ever . Joey Pigza Swallows the Key by Jack Gantos is hilarious and funny. Joey has a hard time sitting still and listening. Because Joey is so hyper, he has no friends and has a hard time getting along with other people. Joey bounces from school to school and doctor to doctor trying to find a medication that will calm him down. Joey lives with his grandma while his mom is out searching for his dad. Joey's grandma is also very hyper and wild like Joey even thought she has Emphysema and has a hard time breathing. When Joey's mom finally comes home she is very kind and loves Joey. All of Joey's teachers are very caring and they want to help Joey as much as they can because they know that he needs their help.

One of the most important parts in this book is when Joey goes on a fieldtrip to the Amish Farm with his class. This part is so important because it sort of turns Joey's life in the book from good to bad, but it is not the climax. This turns Joey's life from good to bad because during the fieldtrip their class gets to have a taste of a special Amish pie. Everyone form the class has to get into a line for a piece of the Amish pie. When Joey finally gets up to get his piece of pie, Joey's teacher tells him that he can not have a piece of the pie because it has too much sugar in it. So instead of the pie Joey gets an apple. Joey gets upset because he really wanted a piece of the pie. So while Joey's class is exploring the farm, Joey sneaks off and eats a whole pie. After a while Joey lost control and went crazy. After this Joey has to go to Special Ed class.

As a whole this book was great. I absolutely loved this book. It was so funny and exciting. Some of the parts were so funny I started to laugh out loud. There are so many strange things Joey does that you don't know what he is going to do next so it keeps you thinking and laughing all through the book. The kind of reader that should read this book is someone that likes comedy. This book is for someone who likes comedy because most of the book is comedy. If you do not like to laugh then don't read this book.

A joy to read and a good point to boot
This was a book that touched me in many ways and I am quite happy to have read it. Joey Pigza is an extremely hyperactive 5th Grade boy. As he says to start the book "At school they say I'm wired bad, or wired mad, or wired sad, or wired glad, depending on my mood and what teacher has ended up with me. But there is no doubt about it, I'm wired". Through Gantos' deft storytelling, with Joey acting as our narrator, we are quickly taken into Joey's world. Joey's world isn't one that most of us would like to be a part of for very long. Joey has, up until the time we met him, lived in a world punctuated by two things. The fact that he is a wired, or in other words suffering from an extreme case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and a home life that involves a grandmother taking care of Joey, whose parents are AWOL, who in her own wired way is rather abusive towards Joey. Joey's life changes though with the return of his mother, which causes Joey's grandmother to leave. Joey's mother is a far more together person and is committed to trying to help Joey get better. However, Joey's ADHD causes him to get into ever more destructive situations that culminates in Joey accidentally maiming a girl's nose. With Joey describing the situation, if the reader reads quickly enough, it is quite possible for Joey's ridiculous decisions to make sense. Upon any sort of reflection Joey's decisions look ridiculous, but the fact that Gantos can make the reader understand why Joey acts the way he does is a large part of what makes this an excellent book. After reaching rock bottom Joey is sent to a special school where Joey's desire to not act that way is met with people who can help him get better. And slowly, and not without the occasional set back, Joey with the help of his case worker, "Special Ed", Joey is put on medication that works and he learns to make good decisions. The book ends with one of life's little triumphs as Joey is allowed to leave the Special Education school and return to his normal school. While not everything is OK things are look pretty good for Joey. This sums up the true triumph of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. The book manages to capture the shades of grey that are almost always missing from children's book. Joey is an astute 5th grader, but he is still a 5th grader and so sometimes there are just things he doesn't understand, unlike other children's books where the children appear to be nothing short of clairvoyant. This is a book that is fun to read while being so much more. I highly recommend this book.

Joey Pigza Soars Like a Roller Coaster
Joey Pigza is a kid in Ms. Maxy's 3rd grade class. He is suffering from ADH, and his life is like a soaring roller coaster. Originally, he lived with his somewhat abusive and also hyperactive Grandmother. Their house always looked like a tornado hit it. He had a very hard time at school. He had no friends. Since he could not sit still for 5 seconds, he always got in trouble. One day he sharpened his finger in a pencil sharpener. A big change occurred when his mom came back into his life, and his grandmother moved away. Joey has never met his Dad. One day he swallowed his house key, so he went to a Special Ed class for a little bit of the day. One day at school Joey was making bumper stickers for he and his mom to change the world. So he took Ms. Maxis big teacher scissors to cut the stickers out. He was running with them and tripped and cut off the tip of the nose of one of his classmates. He was sent to a Special Ed school to help him with his problem. They had to do a brain test to make sure that Joey got the right medication. Joey met new people and learned about his condition. He got to go back to his old school in Ms.Maxy's class. I think Jack Gnats did a great job on this book. Out of all the books that I have ever read this was the best one. I am ten years old in the fourth grade.

how dumb can you be to swallow a key
the book joey pigza swallows the key is a very good book. the reason this is a good book is because you never now what joey is going to do because it all matter on weather he toke his meds or not

Charecters for $ale
Buy this character, Joey Pigza, [...] you'll love his entertainment! He is michovus and funny. Also his love for pleaseing you will fil your heart. He'll help you like he helpes his teachers and friends. He'll bring joy and happieness to your home. Face it! He's better than any other kid! Even though he's different, he's superior acts of kindness, prove that he is the one for you! So now you an have him for yourself! [...] ... Read more

Amazon.com

The loveable, disaster-prone hero of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key isback, this time in charge of his attention deficit disorder and ready to greetthe world as a normal kid--with the help of his new and improved meds, ofcourse. Now that Joey has a handle on his actions, he feels prepared to face themost mysterious member of his family--his estranged father, Carter Pigza. Heconvinces his skeptical mom to let him spend part of his summer vacation gettingto know his dad again. The only problem is that Joey's dad is just as wired asJoey used to be: "I looked over at his mouth, which never seemed to close--noteven the lips touched together--and it made me dizzy to listen to him." Carterbelieves that Joey can kick his ADD the way he himself kicked alcoholism--coldturkey. But when Carter flushes his meds, Joey has to decide if being friendswith his dad is worth losing his hard-won self-control. "That old Joey wascoming to get me and I couldn't do anything about it... I closed my eyes andtold myself to sleep while I could."

Jack Gantos's second book about Joey Pigza is just as delightful and soulful ashis first. Joey's attempts to keep the fragile peace in his life intact aretouching, and his intense longing to just be normal will mirror the feelings ofmost preteens, whether they have ADD or not. Joey Pigza may sometimes losecontrol, but he never loses his heart. This is an exceptional sequel. (Ages 10and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Summer Reading
Joey's dad convinces Joey's mom to let Joey stay with him for the summer. Things go haywire when Joey's dad gets rid of his medicine. This causes many problems. So, will he get his medicine back?

JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTEL is a great book for a
Gross and funny laugh.

Think about reading it.
Joey Pigza is a kid who is on medicine for his hyperactivity. He meets his dad.His dad doesn't like the fact that he is on meds for his hyperactivity, so he flushes his meds down the toilet. After that day, Joey starts to lose control. Will Joey ever get back on his meds? Read this book to find out. This book is for anyone who wants a good laugh and loves a crazy story. It is a great story; I would read it over and over again.

Six Star Review
The good news, Joey's got 6 weeks with his dad.
The bad news, He's a Maniac!

Yes, Pigza's in for a bumpy ride down crazy town.He's playing hooky, turning himself into the abominable snowman and other crazy things.Can Joey ever pull himself together long enough to escape a madman of his father?

Prepare to bust a gut laughing cause this book is 101%gauranteed to have your family laugh so hard, they'll barf.

The Best Book Ever
Joey Pigza Loses Control
Joey Pigza is not so normal, but when he goes and lives with his dad we find out that Joeys' dad (Carter) isn't normal either. After Carter flushes Joeys' patches down the toilet, Joey does many strange things, from eating 1,000,000 jelly packets to trying to get back to his mom in his dad's car. After a while,Joey figures out that he needs his patches. What do you think will happen? Will he get his medicine or will he loses control?


Joey Pigza Loses Control is a funny book to read, but it teaches you that adults aren't always right about things.

Joey Pigza Loses Control


I kind of liked the story because, it sounded interesting. I wanted to find out if Joey's visit was worth it. I also think that Jack Gantos is a good author.

This book is about a boy named Joey who goes to visit his dad for the first time. His mom always said bad things about Carter, Joey's dad, but Joey was determined to find out the truth and prove she was wrong. So can they forget about the past or will it always be there? Joey has a problem, he can't sit still, and sometimes he can get a little carried away or, he just loses it all together. Carter's problem is he doesn't know how to treat his son and he drinks a lot of alcohol. They both take medicine patches to keep themselves in control but when Joey's dad takes the patches away, do you think the visit will still be the same so-so summer together or will it be a memory to last a lifetime...

In my opinion, I think that kids with similar disorder like A.D.D can relate to Joey and understand things from his point of view. This book is also kind of funny, so it can be fun just to read for school or in your spare time.
... Read more

Amazon.com

"I find myself moving like a knife, carving my way around people,cutting myself out of their picture and leaving nothing of myself behind but ahole." A gaping hole of misery is what popular young adult author Jack Gantosremembers when he thinks back to 1972, "the bleakest year of my life." Just 20years old, Gantos was in a medium security prison for his participation in aget-rich-quick drug scam. Scared silly by the violence he saw around him daily,Gantos's only lifeline was a battered copy of The Brothers Karamazov,which he painstakingly turned into an impromptu journal by scratching his ownthoughts into the tiny spaces between the lines. There, he recorded both hisfears and his dream of someday writing a book of his own. Before prison, Gantoshad penned a scattered myriad of journals, but had never been able to pull themtogether into a cohesive narrative. It was during his time behind bars that hefound himself growing into a focused, diligent writer who eschewed drugs for thebigger high of watching his words fill the hole once and for all.

Gantos, best known for his award-winning Joey Pigza titles, mines darkermaterial here that is as deeply compelling as his lighter fare. Using short,meaty sentences, Gantos manages to write in a way that dismisses the dubious"romance" of prison, drugs, and "life on the edge" without ever soundingdidactic or heavy-handed. Older teens will appreciate his candor and sheerwillingness to give them the straight story. Vigorously recommended. (Ages 13and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Great autobiography
Jack "Joey Pigza" Gantos writes an autobiography centering on how he became a writer. However, this well written chronicle is not a dissertation on "How to Cook Roast Pig" writer's style. Instead this is a powerfully honest report of why Mr. Gantos chose a life of crime to escape his homeland and how he survived his twentieth year of being caught and incarcerated for smuggling drugs. This harrowing period led Mr. Gantos to concentrate on writing.

This talented author provides his audience with a triumphant biography that his myriad of fans will enjoy. Additionally, anyone who relishes a true life account filled with downfall and deliverance will enjoy Mr. Gantos' message that writing not only saved, but filled the "HOLE IN MY LIFE".

Harriet Klausner

People Can Change
This is one great book. It is about Jack Gantos and the summer of 1972, the worst year of his life. It begins with Jack leaving his family in Puerto Rico during his senior year to finish high school back in Florida. He is eventually kicked out of the place that he was staying in and lives the remainder of his senior year of high school in a motel. Soon after, he rejoins his family on the island of St. Croix, where he really gets started on drugs and makes the worst decision of his life.

He agrees to smuggle 2000 pounds of hash from St. Croix to New York City on a small yacht with two other men. Everything goes fine until they begin to sell it and they are busted. Jack is sentenced to six years in prison and he calls it the best thing that ever happened to him. While in prison, he writes his thoughts in between the spaces of a book, and realizes his need to become a writer and share his wonderful thoughts with the world. This is a gripping novel that could make anyone avoid the use or selling of drugs. It shows that anybody, no matter how bad they have become, can change, as Jack has. I recomend this book for any high school age or above reader. You need to be very mature to handle this book, as there is some graphic scenes and profane language.

People Can Change
Hole in my Life is author Jack Gantos' autoboigraphy, and is a gripping novel that i think is very excellent. Jack's family moves to Puerto Rico during his senior year of high school, but after spending some time there, he decides to return to Florida and graduate. His constant binge drinking forces the family he was staying with to kick him out, so he spends the remainder of his senior year in a hotel. He is a reaslly good writer, but never tries to write all his thoughts down. After he graduates, he decides to wait on college and chooses to join his family in st. Croix, where they were now moved to. There he makes the worst decision of his life.

He agrees to, with two other men, smuggle 2,000 pounds of hash from St. Croix to New York City in a small yacht. Everything goes fine until they are busted when they begin selling it around the city. Jack is sentenced to six years in prison. While in prison, he writes his thoughts in between the spaces of a book, and around the margins. He fully realizes his need to become a writer and shoughts his thoughts with others. Hole in my Life is an awesome book for mature readers who can handle it, because there are a few graphic secenes and a lot of profane language. I think this book would keep anybody from buying or selling drugs, and it really shows that people can change, no matter how bad they have become.

Library student opinion
In reading the accompanying reviews I noticed that dbragg from NJ had given only one star, yet had given a highly favorable review. I believe he gave the one star by accident chosing incorrectly from the drop down menu.

I dreaded this book-on-tape based on the mug shots of Jack on the cover and the fact that it was required reading in a graduate course I'm taking. Prison life is a subject I am repelled by.

I listened to this book on tape with Jack Gantos reading. I was immediately drawn in by the quality of writing, the sensitivity of the teen Jack, and by the vulnerability, aimlessness, and contradictory self-initiative Jack demonstrates in his finishing high school with no family nearby, while formulating more clearly his desire to write and go to college.

Then Jack is sidetracked, in a way that any teen can be, into casual drug use. Further trapped by financial lack on an island he can't easily leave, with the goal of college writing programs he knows he can't afford he chooses an "easy" way out.

This story is effective because we have all been teens, all been vulnerable (as Jack so endearingly writes), and most have made, or know those who have made, decisions that have had dire consequences.

What made me love this book was Jack himself. I literally had to remove the tape from the car, pop it into the cassette at home and listen to the end, I couldn't leave the story alone.

Now that I know he survived the experience and has been wildly successful with his children's books I would love to see more autobiographical works by Jack. Encore! Encore! And thank you!

Critical issues in literature
This book explores the way that Jack Gantos got into writing, and how he turned from being a criminal to being famous children's author. The book starts out with Jack in jail and him telling us he loved reading he started writing a book. Then it discovers why he was in jail because he was smuggling hash up the coast. He turns himself in, in New York after contacting a lawyer. The book tells how he turns his life around and gets another chance at life. There were three main elements that I liked about this book, first the drama was great, second Jack Gantos really describes the scenes really well, lastly he really turns himself around in the book.

The drama was great, you couldn't read a chapter with out something cool happening. I mean first chapter he is talking about why he is in jail and how he likes jail. Next is how he got into the crime business. The last chapter is about what he did after he got released from jail and how he got into writing children's books.

Jack Gantos really describes the scenes well. He uses vivid detail and he spends whole chapters just describing his yellow cell. Jack says, "the color of that yellow cell got to me. It was a bright, smiling yellow that buzzed like a summer day. There was no hiding from that color. Like me, that yellow room had its ups and downs as the day wore on."(154) He spends a lot of time sharing his experience with you. People really get a sense of where he is coming from.

In the beginning of the book, Jack Gantos is like 17 and he is in jail and he is telling why he is in jail. And then it like flash backs to how he got there. Jack had smuggled hundreds of pounds of hash up the coast. All through out the trip Jack is sort of second guessing himself. Then when he goes to prison he sort of wants to get out of prison and he comes up with this ingenious way to get out. He decides he will go to college and after he is granted parole he would run to Canada after he got accepted though he changes he decides that it is not realistic. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Joey's dad just roared into town on a motorcycle, his mom is chasing her ex-husband away with a broomstick, and his grandma's camped out on the couch behind a plastic shower curtain. What's more, Joey's chihuahua has been dognapped, and his mom insists that he be homeschooled with a mean blind girl and her super-religious mother. Welcome to Joey's world.

With his new self-assumed role as "Mr. Helpful," Joey's on a mission to make everything and everyone better. Can Joey accomplish all this or will his wild, wired behavior spin him out of control all over again?

Reviews (5)

Use Caution
This book is intriguing and captivating BUT for kids that are not hyperactive, it is disorienting. My daughter is reading it for the second time. When we discussed it after she had already started, she said that she thought that two of the main characters acted strange and bad. She also mentioned that she thought that pretty highly of the medicated "patches" the child in the story uses and that she would like some.

This isn't good. I am very uncomfortable with books that make medication the answer to problems. For a kid on medication, this might be reassuring and positive. For a non-hyperactive kid, I think the message is very troubling.

I wish I had been more on top of what this book was about, BEFORE she had started reading it.

Whats with the language?
My daughter is enjoying the book, but came to me the other night and asked about what a word on pg. 43 meant. Even if Grandma is a crusty old person who curses, should we expose this type of language to our children over 10? I was appalled to see this language used in this book. Any other concerned parents out there?

A engaging story told through the eyes of "Mr. Helpful."
When I first began reading this book, I was immmediately drawn in by the main character, a boy named Joey Pigza. Joey leads what appears to be a complicated childhood -- his parents are divorced & for a time his mother moved out and left him with his aging grandmother. Not only does his grandmother smoke too much, she speaks often of death and dying. Joey's only "friend" besides his dog, is a blind girl named Olivia who is always getting him into trouble. Joey's father doesn't make his life any easier -- he's constantly riding around the neighborhood on his motorcycle starting fights with his mother. Talk about a dysfunctional family! It's a wonder that Joey only needs a med patch for his hyperactivity disorder!

You would think that this is all too much for a kid to handle -- I do! But throughout the book, Joey manages to maintain strength and perserverance. Joey's qualitites include honesty and living life with a little humor. In his neverending quest to help others, Joey learns to help himself.

MyParenTime.com recommends "What Would Joey Do?" - I couldn't wait to read more of Joey's antics and see how he survived his next crisis. Even if you haven't read the previous two books in this trilogy, you won't want to miss this one.

Humorous misadventures of an ADHD child
"What Would Joey Do?" is part of the continuing saga of Joey Pigza, a young boy with ADHD. In this book he is ready to try being "Mr. Helpful" and focus his energy is positive manners. The problem is figuring out how he can help everyone while still moving forward with his life. His parents fight regularly and engage in dysfunctional actions, his homeschool partner is a blind girl who is full of mischief, and her fundamentalist mother has a total inability to deal with reality as every contact is focused on "What Would Jesus Do". His Grandma wants him to have a good friend other than his dog and seems to be the only one really concerned about the Joey within. However, she is dying and won't be there for him very long.

A real survivor, Joey's story is one of struggling and perseverance that pays off in the end. A story with several twists and turns it can be humorous reading. The greatest value of this book would be for parents to read the book and use it as a springboard for discussion of kids with ADHD. It teaches some things about children with ADHD as well as some aspects of how to deal with them. However, the book should be used as a catalyst for family discussion to prevent misconceptions. Before writing this review I let two fourth and fifth graders read the book to see what they thought of it. I found that they were getting some wrong impression from the book. It seemed that they thought that Joey's antics were in large part due to his family problems and that kids with ADHD all had dysfunctional families. Joey is a kid who tries as best he can to do the right thing and struggles through his problems to rise above them and that is a good story, just be careful of inappropriate inferences that children can make. It is a great platform for opening up a discussion about children with ADHD.

a hyperactive child's refreshing look at life
Dad is back in Lancaster, Pennsylvania causing problems for poor Joey Pigza, who worries that his dad Carter returned by roaring motorcycle to abduct him. However, he revises his theory to that of his father using him because he wants to either irritate or get close to Joey's mother. Joey's grandmother knows the world is coming to an end perhaps because of her emphysema, but more likely because Carter, who drives her nuts, is back.

Due to the game of my kid is better, smarter, or whatever than your kid, Joey finds himself, at is mother's insistence, joining Olivia Lapp at home schooling. With the urging of his "dying" grandma, Joey tries to befriend the sight-challenged Olivia, but his bratty teammate just wants to keep him in trouble. Between her and his family, Joey learns why a dog is a boy's best friend and wonders if hyperactivity out of control is better than trying to relate to these normal maniacs.

Apparently WHAT WOULD JOEY DO? is the final novel of the JP trilogy to the dismay of this reviewer because this tale, like its predecessors, is a refreshing look at life from the perspective of a preadolescent child coping with hyperactivity. The support cast is a distressing yet delightful group of lunatics, but the story line belongs to the title character, who makes reading fun. A personal plea to Mr. Gantos: please turn Joey into a teenager with hormones running amok because he is too good an individual to be shelved.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Download Description

Jack's diary helps him deal with his problems which include dog-eating alligators, a terror for an older sister, a younger brother who keeps breaking parts of himself, and next-door neighbors who are really weird. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Heads or Tales Brings You Back
I loved this book and have had lots of fun sharing this book with my 6th grade students. They laugh at all the parts of the story where I think they should or might and then they laugh at me when I'm laughing at the story. I love reading the scene where Jack rides his bike after the mosquito fogger and whipes out.

I recommend this book to anyone. It is very humorous.
Jack Gantos wrote a half fiction and half biography book. It is filled with many small stories , all tying together in some way. grab it while you can.

A great book!
Though not the best I've read, it's not the worst, either. I think it's a great book for ages 7-14. He's really got something here! ... Read more

Book Description

The character Rotten Ralph was created more than twenty years ago. Now the worlds most rotten cat and his friend, Sarah, set out again on a variety of capricious capers. In three brand-new boisterously entertaining stories, Rotten Ralph is sure to weasel his way into the hearts of another generation of readers. In Back to School for Rotten Ralph, summer is over, and Sarah cant wait to start school and make some new friendsother than her rotten cat, Ralph. But Ralph wants to be Sarahs only friend, and he won't be left behind. When Sarah boards the school bus, he disguises himself as a student, follows her to class, and starts his scheme of sabotage. Ralphs plan works brilliantly until his true identity is revealed and the entire class wants to be friends with Sarah and Ralph!

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Explores sibling jealousy in a unique way
Here's a book about the first day of school that doesn't have the main character dreading her first day of school. On the contrary, Sarah is excited at the thought of making new friends.

But not everyone in the household is as happy for Sarah. In fact, Ralph, Sarah's rotten red cat, is doing everything he can to sabotage her school day: he sets back her clock, draws all over her new school dress and tries to trick her into staying home by faking an illness.

When Ralph gets the bright idea to follow Sarah to school, his antics get her in trouble and keep her from making new friends. Fans of Rotten Ralph--this is the ninth book in the series--know that all's well that ends well, but first-time readers may be a bit put off by Ralph, who seems just a tad too mean.

Rubel's chunky illustrations are colorful and bold. Her rendering of Ralph captures his true spirit right on the money...he's bright red with pointy ears and a devilish grin.

Gantos' book would be a good way to explore the jealousy that younger siblings might feel when an older brother or sister gets to try a new and exciting experience that they don't. Younger children might not recognize themselves in Rotten Ralph and his outrageous tactics, but I'm betting that parents will. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

READ THIS adventurous BOOK
The book I read was Jack on the Tracks. This book I read kept me wondering what would happen next. My favorite character in this book is his sister,Betsy. I also liked the cats he had. Number one and two. I would suggest this book to kids or adults who like wondering what happens next. So be sure to grab this book with your others.

Even kids who hate books will beg for more of this
If you know a reluctant reader in the 10-12 year old age bracket, this is the perfect title to change their mind about books. As a teacher, I've watched sixth grade boys (girls too!) snort and literally fall out of their chairs in fits of laughter over this one--for some it is the first book they have truthfully read cover to cover. No skimming. No fake reading. Pure enjoyment. Comprehension shoots up dramatically for these kids. They can't wait to meet to talk about Jack. They'll gladly reread their favorite misadventure to a friend--and with new found fluency. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to see your weaker readers standing in line for lunch saying, "Did you get to the part yet where . . . That book is SO funny!" Jack is their hero, living out their secret fantasy, when he drops a cockroach in the mouth of his sleeping sister.

Having said that, I feel I must address the concerns of the other educators who have written reviews here. Yes, Jack pulls a few stunts that might raise an eyebrow. He may not be a top-notch role model, but this is why children love him. He has a Bart Simpson type appeal-- slightly deviant, but lovable, and he often DOES suffer from the consequences of his poor judgement. Teachers who feel this is inappropriate because a child might immitate these episodes are not living in the same world as their students. This book is like an installment of the Wonderful World of Disney compared to the video games, movies, magazines, and regular television most children are entertained by for hour upon hour. You can't sanitize everything for children--what a pleasure killer. And I have NEVER met a twelve year old child who thought it would be safe to lie down in front of a train. Sit down and ask one if you are not sure. Reading should be fun--children do not have the same taste in books as their middle-aged, well-intentioned teachers.

Jack on the Tracks review
This book is an enjoyable read and I find Jack a very believable character. He has many good qualities and is looking to improve himself. However, as a parent and educator, I find many aspects of the book very troubling. Jack's friend digs out a hole between the railroad tracks big enough for a person to lie down in and have the train pass closely overhead. The characters do this several times. It horrifies me that kids will attempt to replicate this stunt and be killed. Additionally, his friend's older brother is memorialized in the story as he died from alcohol poisoning after being very depressed. Jack remembers this as he drinks his mother's cooking sherry becoming drunk and invincible. Jack is depressed, talks about death, jumps off a ladder and this is when he for the first time gets in the hole between the tracks and lets the train pass over him. The author brought up many true to life circumstances that could have served as great teaching tools. However, the characters never see that what they have done is particularly wrong and there certainly are never any consequences for their many wrongful acts. Some of these wrongful and many times dangerous acts include trespassing, stealing mail (a felony), placing objects on the tracks which then become projectiles, disregarding the police who have notified them of escaped convicts, and accidental, but preventable deaths of three cats.

Funny and Thoughtful
I enjoyed Jack on the Tracks. As always, Gantos creates a fun mix of humor and tragedy (read Jack's Black Book, the best in the series). To address one reviewer's comments: yes, Jack does accidentally kill his cats often. However, the book's approach isn't heartless. I recall Jack tried very hard not to cry in front of his family at the death of his pet. Writing about the death of household pets isn't neccesarily cruel. I don't think Gantos meant to include the subject matter as comedial; he probably found it realistic. How often does a pet-owner lose his pets to accidents? Probably not as often as Jack, but you see my point.

That said, read the book.

Jack on the tracks review
What could have been a funny story is severly marred by the author's twisted sense of humor when it comes to the killing of animals. Three times, Jack's cats are killed, due to his lack of responsibility, and each time the author wants us to laugh it off. It's just not funny. It's too bad, because otherwise it could have been a funny book that kids would enjoy and as a Librarian, I would enjoy recommending. But, I can't keep on the library shelves a book that takes the death of pets so lightly. ... Read more

Book Description

In desperation, Sarah sends Rotten Ralph to feline finishing school. Will Ralph's mischief finally be a thing of the past? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The ultimate felonious feline
There are certain unchangeable constants in this world.The tides.The phases of the moon.And the love children will always have for naughty, bad, not-so-very-nice behavior.It is this love that has made "The Cat In the Hat" a picture book classic, and that has raised David Shannon's, "No, David!" from obscurity to beloved bedtime must.And though "Rotten Ralph" is not original in terms of bad-pet-wreaks-havoc (the best version of which, by the way, is Joan Aiken's, "Arabel's Raven"), it is certainly one of the more original and visually stimulating of its kind.There will always be certain fuddy duddy parents out there that dislike "Rotten Ralph" on the basis of its content (i.e. naughtiness to them=evil incarnate).But there will also always be parents who recognize why children love Ralph's wicked ways, and shall purchase accordingly.

Ralph is a cat that, as his owner Sarah puts it is, "sometimes ... very hard to love".He delights in tormenting those around him.When Sarah practices ballet, Ralph makes fun of her.When she has a tea party, he takes precisely one bite out of each cookie.When she's swinging (and I'm not entirely certain that the term "rotten" quite covers this one) he saws off the branches of the tree she hangs from.All this comes to a head when the family, with Ralph in tow, goes to the circus.Ralph engages in out-and-out highly despicable behavior, causing Sarah's father to insist that the fam abandon Ralph to the circus itself.By doing so, Ralph learns humility and how to fend for himself.And when at last he is reunited with the ever-caring Sarah, he tries not to be so very rotten after all. "Except for sometimes when Mother cooked lobster for dinner".

Author Jack Gantos originally wrote this tale in 1976, and it allowed him to jump start his lucrative career as a children's author.Since that time he has gone on to write the incredibly well-written "Joey Pigza" series (if you haven't you MUST run out and read "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" at once!) as well as the fabulous young adult autobiography, "Hole In My Life".And it all started with one malicious and very naughty kitty.Ralph's actions are, of course, despicable.In fact, they're often so ludicrously terrible that they strike great guffaws of laughter from the audience.Of course, the story feels like exactly what it is.A writer's first picture book.It's a fine little piece but it doesn't have the ease and sophistication of the later "Ralph" books.In fact, most parents probably wouldn't have even noticed its existence if Mr. Gantos hadn't been paired with illustrator Nichole Rubel.Ms. Rubel has worked on other children's books, it's true.But when she has reached the end of her too brief life and joined the choir invisible, one cannot help but think that what Ms. Rubel will be most remembered for will be her participation in the "Rotten Ralph" series.After all, she imbues him with such life, verve, and wanton (not to say gleeful) destruction that long after reading the story, the image of him is burned deeply into one's brain.Now, the book does suffer from containing zippo people of color (unless you count the questionable fellow on a camel, midway through the tale) so don't expect much in the way of multiculturalism here.Then again, this is a problem through the entire series, so I shouldn't have been too surprised.And the pictures do sometimes strike you as slightly modified William Steigs (later Steig, of course) in their wavy nightmarish way.So if you've a child who fears the wiggly, avoid this book at all costs.

Otherwise, it's a perfectly good story about a perfectly awful pet.Unlike some of the other "Ralph" books, the cat in this tale faces a mighty good comeuppance for his crimes.Kids will enjoy his foibles just as much as they clamor to read about some of his other adventures.A fun and deeply disturbing tale.

Rotten but loveable
Of all the books that I read to my son when he was young, "Rotten Ralph" was one of my--and his--favorites.The artwork is incredible--very kinetic and colorful, a combination of Keith Haring and Outsider Art.The story is written with great wit, and one can sympahize with the poor heroine trying to get her unruly cat to behave--kind of like she's the parent and Ralph's the child.Yeah, Ralph's behavior is really rotten, but Sarah loves him anyway.Sound familiar?Like Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," "Rotten Ralph" project a child's fears to an imaginary realm where they can be dealt with safely.It's a great piece of children's literature.

Bad Kitty!
Ralph is a very bad kitty, as is generally what cats thrive on being.He is often rude, knocks things over, disrupts social occasions, makes sport of preying on pet birds, fish or rodents, and purposely exacerbates the one annoying, albeit universally inherent, trait in dogs:obnoxiousness.After one especially horrid, feline-induced fiasco at the circus, Sarah's father determines that he's had enough of Ralph and gives him the boot.Ralph's consequential homeless journey thus necessitates him a good look inwardly, seeking the key to whatever could possibly save him from being lost forever to his comfortable home and family...

Not so very many years ago, I had the very great pleasure of reading over and over and over, and over immeasurable, this fine tale of haphazardness, naughtiness, chastisement, and redemption.So I'll now tell you a little tale of my own - a personal pathway, of sorts, toward eminent endearment of this sweet little book:

Several years ago, a little child went with her mother and father to a book signing in downtown Chicago.The name of the book escapes me now, but alas, it's irrelevant to this story.John Lydon ("Johnny Rotten" of Sex Pistols fame) was doing the signing for some newly published writing affair at a trendy north side bookstore.As Mr. Rotten has always had a great dedicated following, the line for this book, to be graced with his signature, was immensely long.The little girl, wearing a pink winter coat and purple ribbons in her hair, was the only child present in a snaking line omnipresent in the aisles throughout with multiply tattooed and body-pierced fans.Yet she was neither intimidated nor gainsaid as she quietly recited her favorite nursery rhymes, picking up to browse each prettily covered book she saw.She was ever patient, and even after over an hour of waiting would smile sweetly to strangers' questions and comments as she held onto her mother's hand.

Finally, after what seemed like an infinitesimal wait, she and her parents reached the front portion of the line. Then, all hearts fell as the gentleman just ahead of her family, a tall thin young man with long silky black & blue-streaked hair and an earring was told the featured book had just sold out - that there were absolutely no more copies.Dejected and deflated, all those remaining in the line began to take their leave.

This little girl, however, would have nothing of it."But we came here for a book!" she cried loud enough for anyone in the store to hear, "I want that book!"Before either of her parents could chastise her for this outburst, Mr. Rotten spoke up with that beautifully enunciated British accent he has, and said, "You want a book?I'm sorry...uh, but we...Wait - This child wants a book! - Oh yes, never fear, little one; I will get you a book."A consummate gentleman, he merely snapped his fingers to one of his assistants and pointed to a nearby display at the edge of the children's section, and said, "I want to give her that book."

ROTTEN RALPH was the chosen book's title.My daughter's copy is signed by Johnny Rotten, the inside jacket adorned with a Polaroid photo taken of herself, her new book, and the kindest punk rock star on earth.Truly, upon many a night for perhaps the next two years that followed, ROTTEN RALPH was included in our nightly ritual of bedtime stories.And though our cat George was often annoyed that he was forced to sit, listen and learn, neither my girl nor I ever tired of reading it.

A Bad, Bad Cat
Rotten Ralph is Sarah's bad, bad cat, and she loves him. Her parents tolerate him...until the unforgivable. Ralph ends up on his own, cold, lonely and miserable, and regretting his evil ways. Most of the time.

Extreme, crazy, and a little more than rotten sometimes. The drawings aren't traditional, which makes "Rotten Ralph" even more fun for kids to read and look at.

Hilarious and surprising!
This book is hilarious.The bathos of Ralph's predicament isdevastatingly funny.He deserves everything he gets.During one scene,the author slips in a perhaps unconscious homage to the famous nose episodeof the Brady Bunch, when the owner of a dog is heard to exclaim "mydog!" ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

inspiration
i know this is a kids book, and i read it a few years ago, but every once in a while i get it out and read it from cover to cover again. every time i read this book i get inspired about life. does that seem a little drastic? i love this book. it's like my security blanket. read this book!

Jack's New Power : Stories From A Caribbean Year
What a truly great book. I read this when I was in 4th grade.It has a beautiful mix of comedy and just plain interesting writing.It's the best book that I've ever read in my entire life. I also own my own copy of it. I would automatically recommend this book to anyone who wants a good laugh. This is a great book for all ages. I would also like to recommend "Heads Or Tails" which is also in the same series. I am also currently reading the third book in the series, "Jack's Black Book". It's great. Everyone should go out and buy copies of all three books and read them. ... Read more

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Reviews (11)

Great humor that gets to the truth of things
I've read the other "Jack" books, HEADS OR TAILS and JACK'S NEW POWER and this book has Jack a little older. He is beginning to look for experiences in the world outside his family and look at how those experiences shape his life and the lives of others. Funny scenes mixed in with real life events, like his new school used to be a prison camp and still has bars on the windows, and he tries to get a date and instead is really humiliated, and tries to help his old neighbors, the Pagodas, but instead finds they can't be helped. And a lot more fun.

A great book by a great author
Jack Gantos' book Jack's Black Book is witty and funny. It's filled with emotion (mostly humor)I would recomend his whole Jack series by Jack Gantos. He's a great author who doesn't mind stopping into local schools and library's to talk, sign his books and perform. The book is off the wall funny and i recomend it strongly.

A Boy Who Wants To Write About His Bad Experiences
Jack's Black Book is about a boy, Jack Henry, who wants bad things to happen to him so he can make money by writing a book about it. If you want to read a book about a boy who writes about his bad experiences then I suggest you read this book. This is a great book!!!

Want to Know a Bad Book?
JACK'S BLACK BOOK
By Jack Santos
Copyright © 1997 by Jack Gantos
A Sunburst Book
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

CRITICAL REVIEW OF JACK'S BLACK BOOK

Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten what you went in there for? Well I think this is what the author did when he was writing this book. He would start on a funny interesting story and change to another theme for the story. The name of the story is JACK'S BLACK BOOK by Jack Gantos and I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy it.
This fictional book is about the adventures of Jack Henry. He is a fourteen-year-old boy who wants to be a writer more than anything in the world. At least that's how the book started out. The story then got away from that idea and it went into Jack building a dog casket in wood shop, his horrible first date and then his tales of working while his parents went out of town. Lastly, the story went on about his bizarre next door neighbor and their adventures together. It was often frustrating to read because the author would make me be content with the story and then totally change it to a completely different subject and never finish up with the previous idea.
Despite his random subject changes, the author did have very good detail. Did I mention he could be very funny too? Throughout the book the author showed that he has a good sense of humor. However, I was very disappointed that he didn't have a single positive character with a good attitude in the entire book. All the people in the book were very negative and I found that to be very depressing. Honestly, throughout the book I was hoping to finish so I could read something else.
Still, I kept reading and the author continued to keep changing where he was going with his story. If you're like me and you enjoy reading a book full of adventure, fun and suspense, then this book is not for you. However, if your having trouble sleeping some nights then whip out JACK'S BLACK BOOK and you'll fall fast asleep.

Teach Me!
I have read this book to my students (sixth grade) for two years now and each group has overwhelmingly loved it! They enjoy Jack's humor, his follies, and most of all his tell-all style of portraying the middle grade age. ... Read more

Book Description

Rotten Ralph is even rotten on his birthday, finally forcing poor Sarah to take drastic measures. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A lesson in ineffective parenting
This is one of the most awful books I have ever read!Rotten Ralph is a cat. He does a long list of awful things, like putting toothpaste into his mistress's slippers. She keeps threatening to cancel his birthday party because he's been so bad. But she never follows through and cancels it -- he just keeps doing bad things, and she just keeps on threatening the same threat but not following through.At one point Ralph thinks that she really did cancel the birthday party and he is sad about it. But then it turns out that there's a surprise birthday party for him after all. His mistress says, "You know I love you too much to cancel your birthday party." It is such an exercise in ineffective parenting that it really makes me cringe. One of the basic rules of discipline is that you should only ever threaten consequences that you are willing to follow through on, and then if the child earns the consequence, you need to follow through on what you said you'd do, preferably swiftly, and preferably not after a bunch of bad behavior and endless threats. It felt to me like Rotten Ralph's mistress had really created a climate where Ralph could continually behave badly, where he knew he didn't have to listen to what she asked, where he came to think of himself as a Rotten cat who does lots of Rotten things.

So this book is not my pick for great children's literature. ... Read more

Book Description

Rotten Ralph makes an earnest attempt at good behavior but is enticed, not too reluctantly, into a series of misadventures by some ruffian alley cats. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Rotten Ralph: You've got to love him
As a child therapist, I have found the Rotten Ralph books to be very useful and popular among my clients. In Worse Than Rotten Ralph, we once again find Ralph, the amazingly painted red cat, being very, very bad. In this story, Ralph is challenged by some alley cats and goes on to prove that he can be just as rotten as they. Kids get a thrill out of seeing just what trouble Ralph and his friends will get into next. Some adults might fear that such mischief will encourage acting out among children, but I find that these stories actually help children externalize their own mischievous impulses. They can experience badness vicariously through Ralph and breathe a sigh of relief when Sarah, his owner, once again says, "I love you anyway." As an adult and a cat lover, I am endlessly entertained by the clever details hidden in each illustration. Even after reading this book over and over, I am still discovering new things. ... Read more

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Reviews (1)

Gantos is terrific!
Jack Henry is back. The stories in this book weave together as Jack faces a new school with a nasty principal, a beautiful and smart teacher, irritating siblings, and parents who are preaching totally different approaches to success in life. The book has great humor and pathos. Gantos perfectly captures the mental state of boys at this age.

Some of the book's funniest moments are captured in the handwritten diary entries that precede the chapters. Be sure to read them. Also, given the fate of so many other Henry family pets, I have to admit I feared the worst when the vet tells Jack how to get his duck to put on new feathers. Like all his books, this one is a fun read aloud. You know the writing is terrific when listeners to the story put their hands over their eyes when the duck goes in the freezer. ... Read more

Book Description

Sarah's rotten cat, Ralph, goes to a Halloween costume party disguised as Sarah and creates horrible mischief. "Ralph's unpenitent devilry has great appeal for children, and this story's use of role reversal provides a thought-provoking twist." -- Publishers Weekly ... Read more

Book Description

In every school at every grade, there's a pecking order among students-an in crowd and those outside it, who are often ridiculed mercilessly for the "crime" of being different. This powerful anthology explores the teen outsider experience in electrifying, never-before-published stories by eleven of today's most acclaimed YA authors. A tomboy finds the relief of self-expression through her music, while in another tale a relentless bully tests the faith of an intensely religious girl. A cheerleader discovers that the true soul of her school can't be found within the cool clique; a football player finally stands up for a harassed fellow student; and a boy watches in horror as the school "freak" marches into his classroom with a loaded rifle.

Offering insights into popularity and peer pressure, nonconformity and persecution, acceptance and hate, these riveting, provocative tales will leave readers thinking and start them talking.

Stories by:

Joan Bauer
Alden R. Carter
Chris Crutcher
Jack Gantos Angela Johnson
M. E. Kerr
Ron Koertge
Francess Lantz
Graham Salisbury
Will Weaver
Nancy Werlin ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Four Stars for On the Fringe
We found that this book deserved four stars. It involved an array of short stories. All of the stories were controversial and shared the same large-scale theme of outsiders, or those who are considered to live "on the fringe." However, each of the stories dealt with very unique and individual characters. Not one of the stories was the same. One of the stories dealt with a girl who never developed properly, while yet another focused on a girl who had bad personal hygiene. Not all of the selections had only one main character. One mentioned all of the outsiders in a school. My favorite story was "Geeks Bearing Gifts" because it involved the "in crowd" becoming dangerously involved with the "out crowd." When I was in high school, I never noticed so many different cliques. This book really opened my eyes. For this reason, we think that this selection would be an excellent one for junior high and high school students to read. My literary partner's favorite was "Muzak for Prozac". This was for the fact that it showed how rumors can detrimentally affect those around us -- especially in the growing up years. It really made me think back to how viscous people can be. This is true especially through the growing up years of our lives. If people in high school or junior high did not wear the 'right' clothes, or if they had different morals, principles, and ethics, they were ostracized for these reasons. This book courageously addressed suicide, assault, religious beliefs, sexual preference, and guns in schools. As a teacher, we think that this book is beneficial in allowing one to see into the minds and hearts of students everywhere.

A Great Book for Sharing
I used selections from this collection as read-alouds for my 8th grade language arts class (I end class most days with a read-aloud, while students keep a response journal). Because of the subject matter, these stories definitely engage the students and keep their attention. Do they all "get" the message? No, but I guarantee that when you look around the room and see the eyes of those two or three students who are themselves on the fringe, you will know it was worth it.

in defense of this book
I'm writing this because I'm aghast at some of the other reviews of "On the Fringe." It's a bad book because of its length? Not necessarily. Most of its stories are shorter than the average New Yorker fiction piece, and there's no need to read them all to enjoy the book. Short story collections don't have to be read straight through like a chapter book.

Another complaint: It shouldn't have examples of how kids humiliate other kids lest it give them ideas on how to be mean? Well, guess what? Kids don't need a book to teach them meanness. They pick it up from peers and TV quite nicely, and also from their families and society at large. Just look at the current news, whether international, national or local.

This book is a good start for a discussion about school violence, such as Columbine. The authors get inside the heads of their teenage protagonists nicely and for the most part, the dialogue and actions come across as authentic, not forced. A brief bio follows each story, explaining why the author chose the subject he or she did.

Standouts in my opinion were "Standing on the Roof Naked" by Francess Lantz, "A Letter from the Fringe" by Joan Bauer, and "Through a Window" by Angela Johnson. The last is unique to the book because it focuses on a character who might be classified as a bystander, not a victim or bully.

Throw it away
I thought the book was a bunch of bolagna. I didnt care for it at all and someone should burn it. The only reason i liked it was because it had a bunch of short stories and not just one big book with a bunch of chapters. It had a lot of truth in it which is the only good part of the book. The book was basically about kids that dont fit in and are outsiders. Who ever get's this bpok should throw it away or tearit and burn it into peices.

Throw It Away
The book deserved 2 stars because it was a terrible book. I really didn't care for it. it is basically a bunch of short stories about people on how they don't fit in. Alot of it was untrue because people only act bad when they are not liked by others. I also think it deserved 2 stars because it had a bunhc of short stories and there is no boring parts in it. If it would of been a long book i dont think to many peple would be interested in it. Over all i think if somone get's the book they should through it away. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Up to his usual rotten antics - spraying whipped cream all over the kitchen and jumping out of the mailbox - Rotten Ralph gets sent to Feline Finishing School. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Rotten Book
This book would be endurable without the text. The low point is on page 24 when "Sarah awarded Ralph with a celebration." The text should read, of course, Sarah rewarded Ralph with a celebration. This glaring error should have been caught by a reasonably capable editor, so perhaps this book was published without being proofread...or perhaps it was published without having been read at all. Sloppy grammar and uninspired story-construction are all too common in fiction, especially children's books, and this insipid story is an egregious example of irresponsible book publishing.

Another great Rotten Ralph story!
"Not so Rotten Ralph" is one of my favorite books of the series. My five year old brother laughs and laughs each time we read it! The illustrator again adds to the plot with cleaver details - tell your child to pay close attention to the pictures! ... Read more