by Jean Little
First published 2002
Joey Pigza arrives at his father's house hoping this six-week visit will prove he's changed. He wants to show Carter Pigza that his hyperactive behavior is under control now. He wants to demonstrate his love. But Carter proves difficult to love back. The father tries to make amends for past mistakes and teach Joey how to win at life. Under Carter's guidance, Joey masters pitching and discovers real talent on the baseball field. The problem emerges when Carter decides that taking control means Joey should abandon the medications and strategies that keep him stable. Joey faces an impossible choice. He can follow his father's dangerous rules and risk his mental health, or he can disappoint the man he desperately wants to please. The visit becomes a test of whether Joey can maintain his hard-won stability while navigating his father's unpredictable demands.
Genres: fiction, family-life, mental-illness, contemporary, adolescence
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: father-son-relationship, found-family
Paperback · HarperColl
Content warnings: mental-illness