Cover of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

by Jack Gantos

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Virginia Readers' Choice

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 6–8
Age range
Ages 11–13
Pages
153
Reading time
about 2h 50m (est.)
First published
1998
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780374336646

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off and he starts getting worked up and acting wired.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 6–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on schools and single-parent families; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

schools · single-parent families

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key?
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key?
It takes about 2h 50m to read Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (153 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 170 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key?
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key appears on reading lists for Virginia Readers' Choice. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key banned in schools?
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key explore?
Central themes in Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key include schools, single-parent families. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 6–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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