Maniac Magee (1990) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 4 stars

“Jeffery Magee is a orphan child who lives with his aunt and uncle who cant live with each other no more so Jeffery ran away to the west end where he soon discovers his talent”

• Rated 3 stars

“a great story of what home really is an where it is”

• Rated 5 stars

“Maniac Maggee is a fun/sad book. Its sad because Manic doesn't have really any friends he dosent have a home. The fun part about the book is after ever chapter Jerry spinnellie leaves you in sup pence ”

• Rated 5 stars

“Jeffrey L. Magee was once a normal kid before his parents got in a trolley accident and he had to live with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan who are kind of in the middle of a divorce. Since Jeffrey had already went through his parents getting killed, they didn’t want something like that to happen again, but they really didn’t like each other. After that Dot and Dan started to not interact with each other. After a little while they started to get two of everything. So one day Jeffrey had a school play and Dot and Dan sat at completely on different sides of the room. After Jeffrey saw that he just blew, Jeffrey jumped off the stage and ran. He was fast, so fast his shoe bottoms broke within a few days. That’s how Jeffrey got the name, Maniac Magee.




My favorite part was when maniac met my favorite character, Grasyon.




”

• Rated 4 stars

“Appropriate for 2 - 5.”

• Rated 2 stars

“Orphaned at three, Jeffrey Lionel Magge was forced to grow up in his aunt and uncle’s home. Living in a loveless home, with two guardians that won’t even speak to each other propels Jeffrey to one-day start running. With no particular destination in mind, Jeffrey finds himself in the town of Two Mills, over two hundred miles away. Two Mills has never seen anyone move like Jeffrey and he soon earns the name “Maniac Magee,” for some of his fascinating feats.

The town of Two Mills is a racially split town, the East End and the West End. In his search to find a place he can call home, he befriends a young black girl, Amanda. Her family takes him in and just as he starts to feel that he is a welcome addition to the family, he is told that he doesn’t belong. This sets him off running again. With no place to go, he finds himself at the zoo. The zookeeper, Grayson gives him a bed and a warm place to stay. In return, Maniac gives him a gift as well, he teaches his how to read. Tragedy strikes when Grayson passes in his sleep one night, leaving Maniac alone again, with no place to go.

Ultimately, Maniac finds himself back in Two Mills. While running one day, he comes across his archenemy Mars Bar. Without instigating a fight, the two run together, in silence. Eventually their silence turned to friendly conversation that breaks the racial divide and sends Maniac back into the welcoming home of the Beale’s.

Curriculum Connections
There are so many overarching themes throughout different parts of the book that can be dissected and analyzed. These themes include: being an orphan, homelessness, bullying, racial segregation, illiteracy and death. Students can be broken up into to groups to further examine how the book depicts these themes and what are the relevance of these theme in today’s society.

I also think that a lesson about tall tales can be used with this novel. Maniac earns his nickname for possessing many traits similar to that of a main character within a tall tale. The teacher can include some mini-lessons on character traits, exaggeration and hyperbole.
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• Rated 4 stars

“Maniac Magee was about a boy who was an orphan many times over. His parents died and he was to live with his aunt and uncle who did not get along and it was miserable. He continued to meet new wonderful people who played a major role in his life but he always ended up moving on for reasons you will have to read to find out. Throughout the book Maniac Magee deals with racial prejudice of two parts of town. He is a great kid throughout the book and is often always giving help to others and not expecting much in return. I think this was a great book that you can take in many ways to teach students.”

• Rated 4 stars

“I'd have never read this book if my teacher hadn't assigned it, so I am glad she did. Maniac Magee was a superb book! It talks a lot about racism, bullying, homelessness, friendships, and family. I learned a few life lessons from this book as well. You should read this book because that it is so well worth it. Trust me, you won't regret listening to me and reading Maniac Magee.”

• Rated 3 stars

“This Newberry winner is a classic tail about an orphan that runs away from home and encounters many different cultures during his adventers. The underlying goal of this novel seems to be that of segragation and the ignorence that comes along with it. I read this because it is the novel that my 6th grade field experience class is currently reading. If it wasn't for that I would probably never had read this book. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“This book shows how everybody can make a difference in the world and to people.”