Books Like What Would Joey Do?
Families who loved What Would Joey Do? by Jack Gantos often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved What Would Joey Do? by Jack Gantos often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is feeling overwhelmed by family chaos or feels responsible for fixing adult problems. This story follows Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD, whose life is a whirlwind of instability. His equally impulsive father is a danger to himself and others, his mother is stressed and trying to move on, and his grandmother uses emotional blackmail. Joey's main goal is to make everyone better, but he learns through an unlikely friendship with a blind, manipulative girl named Olivia that he must first focus on what's best for himself. It’s a chaotic, funny, and deeply empathetic look at learning to set boundaries and find your own stability when your world is spinning out of control. Best for kids who can handle complex emotional themes.
