• The Dented Head of Joey Pigza

  • The Hidden Files of Joey Pigza, Book 1
  • By: Jack Gantos
  • Narrated by: Jack Gantos
  • Length: 3 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (2,187 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Dented Head of Joey Pigza  By  cover art

The Dented Head of Joey Pigza

By: Jack Gantos
Narrated by: Jack Gantos
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $5.95

Buy for $5.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Joey Pigza wants to win! In this audio-only adventure, Jack Gantos’s beloved hero races back into kids’ hearts with a tale about running, perseverance, and life’s inevitable crashes.

Despite his beat-up old shoes and struggles with ADHD, Joey won’t let anything hold him back—after all, he’s the lightning-fast champion of schoolyard races. But when a high-speed collision leaves him with a dented head and more problems than ever, can our infectiously impulsive hero overcome his hurdles and race to the top?

In this zany and surprisingly inspiring listen, perfect for kids ages 8 and up, our chaotic hero realizes he can’t outrun his troubles. Joining him this time around in a series of hyperactive hijinks are his eccentric Granny and his ever-faithful Chihuahua, Pablo. Written and performed by the multi-talented Jack Gantos, and delivered in a wildly energetic voice, this gem is full of the hilarity and heart that made the Joey Pigza creator a Newbery Award-winning children’s book icon.

Cover illustration by Laurie Keller. 

©2018 Jack Gantos (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC.

Go Behind the Scenes at Audible Studios

Author and performer Jack Gantos celebrates the special bond of family listening.
0:00

Publisher's summary

Joey Pigza wants to win! In this audio-only adventure, Jack Gantos’s beloved hero races back into kids’ hearts with a tale about running, perseverance, and life’s inevitable crashes.

Despite his beat-up old shoes and struggles with ADHD, Joey won’t let anything hold him back—after all, he’s the lightning-fast champion of schoolyard races. But when a high-speed collision leaves him with a dented head and more problems than ever, can our infectiously impulsive hero overcome his hurdles and race to the top?

In this zany and surprisingly inspiring listen, perfect for kids ages 8 and up, our chaotic hero realizes he can’t outrun his troubles. Joining him this time around in a series of hyperactive hijinks are his eccentric Granny and his ever-faithful Chihuahua, Pablo. Written and performed by the multi-talented Jack Gantos, and delivered in a wildly energetic voice, this gem is full of the hilarity and heart that made the Joey Pigza creator a Newbery Award-winning children’s book icon.

Cover illustration by Laurie Keller. 

©2018 Jack Gantos (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC.

Classic moments from the Joey Pigza series – hear his other adventures

Book 1: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
-0.00
Book 2: Joey Pigza Loses Control
-0.00
Book 3: What Would Joey Do?
-0.00
Book 4: I Am Not Joey Pigza
-0.00
Book 5: The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza
-0.00
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
  • Book 1: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
  • Joey Pigza Loses Control
  • Book 2: Joey Pigza Loses Control
  • What Would Joey Do?
  • Book 3: What Would Joey Do?
  • I Am Not Joey Pigza
  • Book 4: I Am Not Joey Pigza
  • The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza
  • Book 5: The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza

About the Author and Performer

Jack Gantos has written books for readers of all ages, from picture books and middle-grade fiction to novels for young adults and grownups. His works include Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist; Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor book; and Hole in My Life, a memoir that was recognized as a Michael L. Printz Honor Book and a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. A teacher as well as a writer, he developed the master’s degree program in children’s book writing at Emerson College and the Vermont College M.F.A. program for children’s book writers. Jack is also a proponent for audiobook engagement for children as he believes it sparks their imagination. Hence, the sixth book in the Joey Pigza series, The Dented Head of Joey Pigza, is an Audible Original.

Audible for your kids

The Power of Listening

Fuel children's imaginations while improving reading skills and vocabulary. Discover our curated selection of audio for kids.

What listeners say about The Dented Head of Joey Pigza

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,290
  • 4 Stars
    419
  • 3 Stars
    209
  • 2 Stars
    101
  • 1 Stars
    168
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,270
  • 4 Stars
    349
  • 3 Stars
    165
  • 2 Stars
    61
  • 1 Stars
    98
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,146
  • 4 Stars
    348
  • 3 Stars
    204
  • 2 Stars
    88
  • 1 Stars
    160

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

PLEASE READ THIS and really hear the words...

Please give this as a gift to teachers, parents, and students! We all need to understand that there are kids that have no dreams because they are simply trying to survive in a world that they don't notice to be inferior. What an opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a child. Listen, really listen. This happens to students daily.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Charming in an unconventional way - I loved it!

Its rare to find a children's book that captivates adults, and this is a rare book indeed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Get this book if you love to laugh...

Who says that adults shoudn't read kids books? I laughed my ass off as I listened to this wonderful story!
Joey has got some rather interesting "notions" about life, but it's clear that he loves his Grandma, and he loves his funny little dog, Pablo. I can certainly see why Jack Gantos has won so many book awards! Jack also gave us a stellar performance, nailing Joey's quirky nature, right on the forehead, as Joey runs headlong through this story...
Grab this book if you love to laugh... then share it with your family and friends, because spreading the Joy, makes it even better!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story telling. thank you!

Great story telling. thank you for putting into words such entertaining stories that captivated me andmy 9 & 11 yr old kids. Cheers!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Started on a whim, listened because I got hooked

I thought I wouldn’t really like this too much, because it seemed like a kids story.. and I was only looking for a short, cute story to pass time.
I got much more than that; there were so many relatable hardships that the main character is going through that I ended up being hooked right away.
Initially I was irritated by the “run-on sentences”, but I soon lost myself in the story and didn’t even notice them later on.
I definitely enjoyed the story, and the narrator really caught me up in the emotion of the main character. So much for thinking of it as a kids book! I think it was very well done, almost as if it was written by the boy, Joey, in a child’s manner of expression, but to appeal to a wider audience.
I will most likely listen again, and I won’t be opposed to looking for other books in the series.
I wish I had been able to read this book when I was in fifth grade! It gives a great perspective.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Joey is Back!

I have been a longtime fan of Jack Gantos's Joey Pigza books and was surprised and delighted to learn of this special audible-only one. Gantos is an outstanding writer and narrator. I always savored the sentence level writing of his earlier books and did so with this one as well. (Only problem with listening as I wasn't able to highlight especially great passages. But, trust me, they are there.)

Joey is a lovable as ever, his grandmother as ...er...unique, and Pablo a sweetie.

Those meeting Joey for the first time in this story, may be taken aback at some of the events and situations. Things are pretty wild and wacky in this boy's universe. To me it is sort of hyper-reality. For instance, there are injuries, but no mention of blood and pain. Pablo is sometimes sick, but Gantos focuses in on his face rather than what is coming out of his other end. That is, Joey is matter-of-fact about life challenges, but considers them more in terms of emotions and intellect rather than pain and suffering. After all, if you've read all the other books, you know this boy repeatedly manages to overcome some really profound challenges (parents, ADHD, etc).

Bravo, to all involved in bringing this to our ears.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Funny

Funny and insightful if one is not familiar with the mind of a child with adhd issues (like me).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This was great!

Loved loved loved it. This was our entertainment for our road trip and we really liked it couldn’t stop playing it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not what I usually listen to.....but I loved it.

Took me a minute to get into it but it’s a great story and well read. Funny, sad, and hopeful all at the same time. Pigsa Power!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Listen.

Loved it! Listened to this with my girls during the hurricane and I thought they would lose interest when the power came back on, but they couldn't be more interested. They really enjoyed it and I enjoyed the message. Very funny with a lot of good stuff kids need to hear!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful