Sequel to Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor Book
Are they flirting or fighting? This is Joey Pigza's question when the
fireworks suddenly start to explode between his long-separated mom and
dad, whom he's never really had a chance to see together. The more out
of control his parents get, the less in control Joey feels and the more
he wants to help make things better. But Joey's ailing
tell-it-like-it-is grandmother wants her grandson to see it like it is
with his unpredictable parents. Knowing that she is fading fast, she
needs Joey to hurry up and show that he can break the Pigza family mold
by making a friend in the outside world. The only potential candidate,
however, is Olivia Lapp -- Joey's blind homeschooling partner, who brags
that she is "blind as a brat" and acts meaner to Joey the more desperate
he gets for her friendship -- even if Joey senses there's more to her
than meets the eye.
In this dazzling episode, Jack Gantos's acclaimed hyperactive hero
discovers that settling down isn't good for anything if he can't find a
way to stop the people he cares about from winding him up all over
again.
What Would Joey Do? is a 2003 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of
the Year.