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student responses to Joey Pigza
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From: Jonathan Hunt <jhunt24>
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 15:52:11
Even though JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it very much, and really appreciate its strengths. I expected it to get no less than a Newbery Honor, and quite possibly the Newbery Medal.
Of course, as Robin pointed out, readers do learn empathy for Joey, undoubtedly they do, absolutely. What I am questioning--and I hope this is not straying too far from the book--is how ready children are to take what they have learned about Joey and apply it to real life. If kids repeatedly need direct, explicit instruction about someone who is obviously different, who wears their disability on the outside, so to speak, will they really get the message in a book, about someone who has a hidden disability, and apply it to their lives? I still think there is a bibliotherapeutic aspect to the books that appeals to adults much more than it does to children.
That doesn't mean children don't love them for their own reasons (they do), and most of them have been listed already. I have had many students read JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL and while their reactions have been mixed, it was on the final ballot in our mock Newbery. I also had a student recently give a book report on JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY that was delivered so wonderfully with such deadpan humor, explaining the swallowing and "passing" of the key and the nose-cutting, that literally half my class now wants to read the book.
Jonathan
Here are some individual student reactions-
Caitlin Simens
I didn't really care for JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL because it was boring. I liked THE PLAYMAKER better. JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL was just about how he takes his medicine and goes to see his dad. My favorite part of the book was when Joey goes into the city and goes looking at his dad's work place, video arcade, and on the bus. The part in the book I didn't like was when Joey gets in a mad mood and thinks his dad is going to kill him. And there's another part in the book I didn't like was when his dad takes him to the fairyland, but if it didn't have those parts it would be an okay book.
Christina Faryabi
My reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it's a wonderful book just like many others, but if I were judging it and I am I would say that it doesn't meet my expectations or liking. The book is better than some others but also not as good as others. The characterization of the chracters are good and funny, but also very different. There are also many sad moments. There are times when one person says or does something and then later on in the book there's something to do with that. Have fun reading!
James Moody
My reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it was a great book. I love the way Joey narrates the book, the way he talks about his life and how he goes to his dad's house and it is totally different at his dad's house than his mom's house. The lifestyle of Joey's mom and dad are totally different and it's fun to read on how Joey lives with both of them. The way Joey gets off his medication at his dad's house and becomes a great pticher for his dad's baseball team is interesting to read. I love the ending a lot and that's what I think is the best part of the book. So my final reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it was a great book and is in my top 5 for the Newbery books this year.
Stephen Wang
I think this book is pretty good, but not great. The book is kind of boring in some parts and really funny in other parts. This book is very funny like when he plays his baseball game but it is not funny when he gets away in the end. Even though it is kind of boring it is a really descriptive book and it talks about a lot of true things like peer pressure from Joey's dad. Still if I rated this book between one and ten with ten as the best and one as the worst this book would still be a 9. I don't think it should deserve a Newbery Medal, but maybe a Newbery Honor. But still it is a good book.
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Received on Wed 31 Jan 2001 03:52:11 PM CST
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 15:52:11
Even though JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it very much, and really appreciate its strengths. I expected it to get no less than a Newbery Honor, and quite possibly the Newbery Medal.
Of course, as Robin pointed out, readers do learn empathy for Joey, undoubtedly they do, absolutely. What I am questioning--and I hope this is not straying too far from the book--is how ready children are to take what they have learned about Joey and apply it to real life. If kids repeatedly need direct, explicit instruction about someone who is obviously different, who wears their disability on the outside, so to speak, will they really get the message in a book, about someone who has a hidden disability, and apply it to their lives? I still think there is a bibliotherapeutic aspect to the books that appeals to adults much more than it does to children.
That doesn't mean children don't love them for their own reasons (they do), and most of them have been listed already. I have had many students read JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL and while their reactions have been mixed, it was on the final ballot in our mock Newbery. I also had a student recently give a book report on JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY that was delivered so wonderfully with such deadpan humor, explaining the swallowing and "passing" of the key and the nose-cutting, that literally half my class now wants to read the book.
Jonathan
Here are some individual student reactions-
Caitlin Simens
I didn't really care for JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL because it was boring. I liked THE PLAYMAKER better. JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL was just about how he takes his medicine and goes to see his dad. My favorite part of the book was when Joey goes into the city and goes looking at his dad's work place, video arcade, and on the bus. The part in the book I didn't like was when Joey gets in a mad mood and thinks his dad is going to kill him. And there's another part in the book I didn't like was when his dad takes him to the fairyland, but if it didn't have those parts it would be an okay book.
Christina Faryabi
My reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it's a wonderful book just like many others, but if I were judging it and I am I would say that it doesn't meet my expectations or liking. The book is better than some others but also not as good as others. The characterization of the chracters are good and funny, but also very different. There are also many sad moments. There are times when one person says or does something and then later on in the book there's something to do with that. Have fun reading!
James Moody
My reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it was a great book. I love the way Joey narrates the book, the way he talks about his life and how he goes to his dad's house and it is totally different at his dad's house than his mom's house. The lifestyle of Joey's mom and dad are totally different and it's fun to read on how Joey lives with both of them. The way Joey gets off his medication at his dad's house and becomes a great pticher for his dad's baseball team is interesting to read. I love the ending a lot and that's what I think is the best part of the book. So my final reaction to JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL is that it was a great book and is in my top 5 for the Newbery books this year.
Stephen Wang
I think this book is pretty good, but not great. The book is kind of boring in some parts and really funny in other parts. This book is very funny like when he plays his baseball game but it is not funny when he gets away in the end. Even though it is kind of boring it is a really descriptive book and it talks about a lot of true things like peer pressure from Joey's dad. Still if I rated this book between one and ten with ten as the best and one as the worst this book would still be a 9. I don't think it should deserve a Newbery Medal, but maybe a Newbery Honor. But still it is a good book.
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Received on Wed 31 Jan 2001 03:52:11 PM CST
