Maniac Magee

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Summary: Maniac Magee
Review: I am reading Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. The protagonist or main character is Maniac Magee and he lives with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan. Maniac Magee parents died when a high-speed trolley plunged into the river.
Maniac Magee's Aunt and Uncle are different religion and they won't break up. They instead have two of everything and refuse to share. Maniac Magee has a play at school and his aunt and uncle go to watch. They are sitting two seats away from each other. Maniac Magee jumps from the top of the stage and starts screaming, "talk, talk," and he runs off the stage and runs away.
Maniac Magee's name is Jeffrey and he ran for 200 miles before stopping. He met a girl named Amanda who was black and he was white. He asked if he could borrow her smallest books so he could read it, but she said, 'NO' he couldn't. Maniac thought she was running away, too, because she had a suitcase, but it was full of her books. He begged her to let him borrow just one book and as the school bell rang, suddenly, she gave him the book and she ran into her school.
I invite and encourage you to read this book because it is an exciting book to read. So pick up a book and read Maniac Magee.

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Summary: A Rich Story of Segregation By:SAR Grade 5
Review: What is segregation? Well, Jeffery Magee is the only kid in town who doesn't know. Jeffery "Maniac" gets bullied and injuried during his search for a home.Jeffery lives in many different places during his life at Two Mills. The town zoo and a baseball clubhouse are two of the places where he lives. In Two Mills Hector Street divides Whites and Blacks. East End for Blacks and West End for Whites. Jeffery doesn't understand why they can't live together. He is the only person that has ever crossed Hector Street. Maniac breaks records and wins fights on both ends of town. But now his friend is in trouble. Will Maniac save him???
This tremendous book is full of adventures. Jerry Spinelli did an awesome job on this well-written book. I recommend this fantastic book to anyone who needs a good read.

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Summary: memorable
Review: I remember reading this book in 5th grade and I still remember parts of it today, being in 11th. It's a book I would recommend to anyone, young or old.

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Summary: Maniac Magee
Review: This book is about a boy that his parent's died,and had to go live with his uncle and aunt.Maniac,that's what his uncle and aunt aunt called him,maniac thaugh they were really weird.He thaugh that because they were married and they did not like to share thing's.Like they both had there own tv,toaster,and bed's,maniac thaugh that was pretty weird.Then maniac got board of being in the house so he took a walk in the park and he saw a girl and she was carring some book's and she droped one.Maniac ran toward the book and picked it up and returned it to the girl,that's how maniac met the girl named Amanda.

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Summary: Breaking that color barrier!
Review: The story is about young Jeffrey "Maniac" Magee who, due to a tragic event, becomes known for running. Homeless, Maniac Magee is able to transcend color lines and find his new family in the unlikeliest of places. There is a reason why this is a Newbery Medal winner and you'll know when it is read! :)

Highly recommended!

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Summary: Maniac Magee
Review: What is segregation? Maniac Magee is not sure what it is either, but he deals with it courageously in Jerry Spinelli's story of Two Mills, PA's legend-in-the-making. The West End is where the whites live (though Maniac can't figure out why they call them white-he has at least seven different shades of color in his own skin and none of them are white). The East End is where the blacks live (though Maniac can't figure that one out either - he sees coffee, chocolate, but no licorice).

This is a story about love, too. Maniac is looking for a family to share love with (he lost his parents in the P & W trolley accident) and all he finds is trouble whether it was ticking off Big John McNabb by bunting a frogball for a four bagger or making Mars Bar Thompson mad by beating him in a race running backwards.

In his search Maniac Magee finds that the Pickwells and the Beales despite their difference in color are just as loving, just as generous, and real families that he would love to live with. He finds Grayson, a grizzled old parkhand who once struck out Willie Mays in the minors who the rest of the world shuns. Maniac teaches Grayson to read and finds temporary happiness until Grayson is pulled from him too.

Maniac finds hatred. He experiences discrimination when the front of the house is chalked up by a bigot. He experiences the hatred and and foolish ideas of George McNabb.

Maniac realizes that bigotry and hatred are learned traits, and he doesn't want to be part of that (maybe because people dislike scraggly orphans, no matter how talented and athletic they may be). Maniac even kissed a buffalo! Don't miss it.

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Summary: Dad
Review: Children should not be reading this book. Dead parents, dysfunctional family, hating your relatives, unstable life...the list goes on.

If you are going to confront racism, for God's sake, introduce some element of heroism or something more positive than untying a complex knot. And, he doesn't even overcome. The ending is horrible.

Children are impressionable. You cannot predict which positive or negative images they will internalize. Thus, a book like this is clearly a bad influence.

I am most curious to know what the Newberry committee was thinking - or were they?

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Summary: Running Feet
Review: I'm reviewing Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinell. I rate this book five stars because it teaches you not to stereotype. This book is about a kid named Jeffery who is a foster child. Jeffrey Magee tries to be a friend with a black girl named Amanda. Everyone in the west end thinks Jeffery is crazy for trying to make friends with a black girl. This is because he is white. I think this book is good for children and adults. This book teaches a lesson. This book you will remember for the rest of your life. START READING!

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Summary: Running Away, and Conquering Racism
Review: In Spinelli's adventure and moral filled novel, 'Maniac Magee,' Jeffrey Lionel Magee is an eleven year old who endured the sudden and tragic death of his parents at age three. When his parents pass away, he is taken to live with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan. After eight years, Jeffrey decides to run away because his aunt and uncle do not get along, and they never talk to one another. Jeffrey, whose name changes to, Maniac Magee, runs from Hollidaysburg to Two Mills, a distance of two hundred miles. Throughout the book, Maniac does not have a consistent place to live, always searching for that place he can call, 'home.' The only place he felt at home was at the Beale's house, where he finally had an address and people who cared about him. It is at the Beale's that Maniac discovers racial prejudice. The town of Two Mills is even divided between the races. This becomes a very personal issue for Maniac, who is a 'white' boy living on the, 'black,' side of town. Maniac realizes that both races are ignorant about the other race, feeling threatened. So, Maniac sets out on a mission to resolve the long-standing racial tensions in the small town. Is Maniac successful in blurring the racial lines that have been drawn? Or, does he find himself running away from Two Mills also?

I was very pleased with Spinelli's book, 'Maniac Magee.' He does an excellent job addressing a very serious and touchy subject of racism in a unique and non-threatening way. I love the fact that the hero of the story and the one that makes the difference for the whole town is an eleven year old boy. This sends a positive and clear message to the reader, that every person can make a difference. This is a very important message to relate to children who may feel that because of their age and ability they cannot make any difference.
I also love Spinelli's style of writing. I have not read any other books by Spinelli in the past, but I noticed in this particular book that his writing style varies within the book. At times he is straightforward and blunt, at other times he appeals to the adventurous side of the reader, and at other times he even writes in a poetic manner. This poetic writing I am talking about could be found in Spinelli's description of winter.
I appreciate that, 'Maniac Magee,' addresses several morals within one bigger moral. Obviously, the main issue that the book addresses is the issues of racism. But, I also felt like the author wanted the reader to realize that home is something that is valuable, and sometimes something you have to look for, but never take for granted. I also think the author was trying to say that it is okay to be different, and to stand up for what you believe in.

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Summary: Maniac Magee review
Review: This story about a ... shall we say different child, Jeffery Magee, in a racist torn town with seperation between blacks and whites. Pretty much all he is considered good for is untying knots and running. His parents got killed and he is out there all by himself. He joins a black family for a while, then moves into a baseball supply closet with an older male friend. Sleeping with the buffaloes at the zoo was not uncommon for him. Basically, this book focuses on survival and how hard it can be to find a truly loving family. I highly recommend reading this excellent tale of friendship and survival.