The author of maniac magee used characterization in the book in a couple different ways. Jerry spinelli from norristown, pa first publication was in 1982, space station seventh grade best known for maniac magee and wringer 3. The story reminded me of paul bunyan and other legendary folks who had mindboggling abilities. One day maniac ran away because the hated in his aunt and uncle house. Write their ideas on the board, then have a volunteer look up the word in a dictionary. Maniac magee is the story of jeffery lionel magee, a homeless drifter who finds his way.
Reading practice, literacy skills, vocabulary practice. Chapters 15 please read the following questions and circle the correct answer. It has been eight years since maniac magee won both the prestigious boston globehorn book award and the newbery medal, and its popularity among young. Goodreads members who liked maniac magee also liked. The characters are compelling, realistic, and will challenge whatever tendency you may have towards clustering with your own. Maniac didt like their house because they cant share. A little info about the book gold newberry award winner realistic fiction 4. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli, book trailer by angie wheeler duration. In 1990, spinelli won both the newbery medal and the boston globe horn book award for his novel maniac magee. Although the book is a bit difficult to get into, the persistent reader will be well rewarded. Maniac magee novel unit is a common core standard aligned book study to be used with maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Jeffrey lionel magees parents died when he was young, and one day he decides he can no longer stand to live with his aunt and uncle and runs away.
This is a complete novel study that includes many individual products bundled together to o. This was great, because even a bookish twelve year old prefers to talk about herself more than a novel. Maniac magee is a book that stuck with me long after i read it in fifth grade for the first time. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Then instruct them to tape or use a magnet to post the list on. Maniac magee is a heartwarming book first published 25 years ago. The story of jeffrey lionel magee, aka maniac, has become a school standard since its publication in 1990. This time is a little different thoughits a saturday, and there are kids everywhere. How could we not, when maniac magee finally ends with maniac simply content that finally, truly, at long last, someone was calling him home 46. At the age of three, jeffrey magee loses both of his parents in a tragic accident. They say he kept an eightinch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. Find books like maniac magee from the worlds largest community of readers. As we read maniac magee, you are required to answer questions over the chapters.
The book starts by relating the legends which built up about maniac magee and its fun to go back to those first two pages when youve finished reading to see how far from the truth the legend has grown. Maniac magee jerry spinelli winner of the newbery medal before the story they say maniac magee was born in a dump they say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring. One in particular takes particular notice of maniac. What can maniac hear even further away than before, now that he is not living in any particular home in chapter 43. He came into this world named jeffrey lionel magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. In this lesson you will learn about the setting in the book maniac magee.
After the miles and miles maniacs seenbetterdays sneakers chewed up, the book ends with him heading home to. Maniac magee is a novel written by american author jerry spinelli and published in 1990. Click on the picture to see other books written by. Explain that the book they will read is titled maniac magee. The following words appear in maniac magee and may be unfamiliar to some students. Maniac magee is considered as an important literary work. There are suggestions below for improving the article.
Jexceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. Jeffrey gets the nickname maniac after performing athletic feats of mythic proportions and appearing fearless in the face of bullies and other terrifying situations. Maniac magee book summary maniac magee is about jeffrey lionel magees search for home and the racial prejudice in the town of two mills. Maniac magee was an orphan so his aunt and uncle adoped him. First have students look up the words and add their meanings to the list. The novel received critical acclaim upon release and in 1991 won the prestigious newbery medal.
Have students predict what the character with this name might be like. The relationship of kids to racial identity in maniac magee has been used as a topic in a number of studies. Maniac magee was a language and literature good articles nominee, but did not meet the good article criteria at the time. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli, book trailer by angie.
Maniac magee is about jeffrey lionel magees search for home and the racial prejudice in the town of two mills. He becomes a local legend for feats of athleticism and helpfulness, and his ignorance of sharp racial boundaries in the town. Theres even a jump rope rhyme about magee that the kids can jump to and make up other verses for. The settings where maniac magee takes place and where jerry grew up are similar and different an several different ways. Before hell tell maniac what happened with the boys, he wants to know why maniac, who isnt scared of anything was apparently scared of the trestle. His first book for children, space station seventh grade, was published in 1982. Maniac tries to find a home, soothes tensions between rival factions on the tough side of town, and becomes a true hero.
Books similar to maniac magee meet your next favorite book. Maniac is back snuggling with baby buffalo when he someone starts calling his name. The writing is excellent throughout, but initially i wasnt interested in maniac or the other characters. Little, brown and company takes great pleasure and pride in announcing that, effective immediately, we will be the sole publisher of the paperback edition of jerry spinellis classic newbery medal winner, maniac magee. Digital booktalk of maniac magee by jerry spinelli. It stuck with me more than in just a lifelong love of butterscotch krumpets, but also in the sweetness of the main character and the good that he finds in well, everyone. He was born in a house, a pretty ordinary house, right across the river from here, in bridgeport. Finding things to discuss about maniac magee was easy there are lots of topics relevant to the book that also have personal significance to readers. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. Mars bar thompson has actually come looking for maniac. A reason why they are both similar is because they both lived near philadelphia and their towns were both split into the west and east ends. Another way the author used characterization in the novel is by creating relationships between the. Why you should read maniac magee diary of a word nerd. Parents need to know that jerry spinellis maniac magee is an exciting, moving, and sometimes funny story, brilliantly told, about an orphan boy who runs away from his feuding aunt and uncle at age 8 and makes a.
This humorous yet poignant story tells of a superathletic teenager who bridges his small towns racial gap. It deals with racism and its effects on a young man who, though white, finds more warmth and kindness on the black side of town than on his own side. Make sure you use the book to help you answer the questions. Spinelli has written the novel in third person he said, as opposed to i said, which is called first person, using an objective viewpoint in which the thoughts and feelings of the characters are not. You might try the following activities with the class before handing out the book. Spinelli has written the novel in third person he said, as opposed to i said, which is called first person, using an objective viewpoint in which the thoughts and feelings of the characters are not revealed. The first half of maniac magee made me wonder why the books been popular for a quarter century. The author created certain characters to play different roles in maniacs the main character life.
Jeffrey gets the nickname maniac after performing athletic feats of mythic proportions and appearing fearless in the. Maniac mag ee is a novel written by american author jerry spinelli and published in 1990. One way the author of maniac magee used characterization in the novel is by creating specific characters. He presents maniac as a legendary figure, and leaves it to the reader to decide what is true and what is myth. Jerry spinelli is the author of over fifteen immensely popular books for young readers, including eggs, stargirl, space station seventh grade, newbery honor winner wringer, and maniac magee, winner of more than fifteen state childrens book awards in addition to the newbery medal. Maniac magee is a realistic fictionbook because maniac is invented but it could happen in real life.
The students in elementary school also read it as a part of the curricula. You might make lists of 10 to 15 words to assign as refrigerator studies. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli is a young adult novel published in 1990. Maniac magee questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on maniac magee.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Maniac doesnt know he doesnt belong in the east end, and he recognizes some of the streets from when he met amanda. He is an accepting person who does not allow a persons race to influence his opinion of. Parents need to know that jerry spinellis maniac magee is an exciting, moving, and sometimes funny story, brilliantly told, about an orphan boy who runs away from his feuding aunt and uncle at age 8 and makes a name and legend for himself in a racially divided town. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is an orphan searching for a loving home when he finds himself in a small, segregated town in pennsylvania. The perents of maniac magee died in a trolley crash.