Joey Pigza Swallowed The Key

by Jack Gantos

Joey Pigza doesn’t mean to be in trouble all the time –it just happens. Joey feels “wired” most of the day, and feeling that way causes him to do things like sharpening his own finger in the pencil sharpener, swallowing his house key, and eating a whole pie. Joey Pizga has what the doctors call Attention Deficit Disorder. Joey just knows that most times his “meds” don’t work and he feels out of control. Can anyone help Joey so he doesn’t have to stay in a special school?

This is a funny book – but it’s also a book that helps us know what it feels like to be different than the rest of the kids.

J GAN

My Big Sister Is So Bossy She Says You Can't Read This Book

by Mary Hershey

Effie is having a hard enough time without any further complications. Her father is in jail (pretty embarrassing at school), her mother is busy working two jobs, and her older sister Maxie spends a lot of free time bullying her. Effie feels pretty alone and wishes she could find a best friend. She tries to partner up with Aurora to do an unusual science project, but gets totally distracted when she finds out that Maxie has stolen the money from Effie’s Scout treasury box. Read this book (as Effie says, “At Your Own Risk”) to see if anything will go right for Effie!