Then instruct them to tape or use a magnet to post the list on. The protagonist in most novels features the main character or good guy. Maniac learnss that grayson was an illiterate minor league player. The first book that grayson read cover to cover was the little engine that could accordingly, maniac magee didnt help grayson at all. I was given the topic of the knot, some little plot device in the middle of the book. The east and west end are separated by hector street. First have students look up the words and add their meanings to the list. The author, jerry spinelli, modeled the setting in this book after his hometown, which was also in pennsylvania. In maniac magee, what was the first book grayson read. That home is prefabricated, just waiting for him to step in and claim his palace. A newbery medal winning modern classic about a racially divided small town and a boy who runs. The perfect companion to jerry spinellis, maniac magee, this study guide contains a chapter by chapter analysis of the book, a summary of the plot, and a guide to major characters and themes. 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.
Maniac magee time line timeline timetoast timelines. The helpful journal topics offer extended writing activities and discussion prompts. 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. He becomes a local legend for feats of athleticism and helpfulness, and his ignorance of sharp racial boundaries in the town. A film adaptation was made for the nickelodeon network in 2003 the font used for the book title on the cover is gillies gothic bold, which is an informal script font originally. Jeffrey gets the nickname maniac after performing athletic feats of mythic proportions and appearing fearless in the. The first half of maniac magee made me wonder why the books been popular for a quarter century. In 1990, spinelli won both the newbery medal and the boston globe horn book award for his novel maniac magee. We know that jeffrey lionel magee starts out in hollidaysburg, pennsylvania and maniac magee ends up in two mills. 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. For christmas, grayson gives maniac a baseball mitt and a brand new baseball maniac gave him a book about grayson. What we dont know is what exactly happened in the year it took him to cover the two hundred miles between the two towns. 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.
They say he kept an eightinch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. It gives a brief background about the author, jerry spinelli and some highlights from the book. Different covers of maniac magee novel studies, literary analysis. Maniac magee, lived with his parents until he was 3 years old. His first book for children, space station seventh grade, was published in 1982. Maniac magee book summary maniac magee is about jeffrey lionel magees search for home and the racial prejudice in the town of two mills. The following words appear in maniac magee and may be unfamiliar to some students. Jerry spinellis maniac magee is a fastpaced novel in three parts, each part subdivided into short chapters. The story reminded me of paul bunyan and other legendary folks who had mindboggling abilities. Exploring themes of racism and inequality, it follows the story of an orphan boy looking for a home in the fictional town of two mills. 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.
Its about jeffrey lionel magee, sometimes known as maniac magee, and about the people of the fictional town of two mills. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli chapters 1 4 before you read the chapters. This book report should be done after completing reading maniac magee. Maniac magee novel study unit distance learning distance. More specifically, it is located in the racially divided town of two mills. This is a little something i put together about the novel maniac magee.
You might make lists of 10 to 15 words to assign as refrigerator studies. See more ideas about maniac magee, 5th grade reading and teaching. Maniacs first stop is the east end, where he meets amanda beale and her suitcase of books. See more ideas about maniac magee, 5th grade reading and book study. This lesson will give a summary of the popular book maniac magee, a novel written by jerry spinelli. When he was in the east end one day he met a girl named amanda. Its about prejudice and love and home and baseball and fear and understanding. Maniac magee is about jeffrey lionel magees search for home and the racial prejudice in the town of two mills.
Noprep, predictable, and extremely userfriendly, this literature guide is perfect for whole class, small. Created as part of the digital advertisement project for libr 264 addeddate 20120514 21. Maniac magee made his name by doing things that other people thought impossible. Maniac magee by spinelli, jerry and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The three parts describe three pivotal periods in the life and growth of the main. He presents maniac as a legendary figure, and leaves it to the reader to decide what is true and what is myth.
They say if you knew he was coming and you sprinkled salt on. Nobody was at his funeral, so maniac runs away again. After the miles and miles maniacs seenbetterdays sneakers chewed up, the book ends with him heading home to the place hes been looking for this whole time. Hes so cool that he has his very own jumprope rhyme. Jeffery lionel magee maniac magee genre of the story. He was born in a house, a pretty ordinary house, right across the river from here, in bridgeport.
This study guide consists of approximately 30 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of maniac magee. I think this is a good book because it has figurative language, uses the 5 senses, and you never know what will happen next to maniac. It won the 1991 newbery medal and remains a vital, relevant classic. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadnt made him an orphan. 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. The settings where maniac magee takes place and where jerry grew up are similar and different an several different ways. Exploring themes of racism and inequality, it follows the story of an orphan. The setting, which is where and when a story takes place, in maniac magee is the recent past in the state of pennsylvania. 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.
Maniac magee is a book that stuck with me long after i read it in fifth grade for the first time. The novel follows the story of an orphan boy looking for a home in the fictional pennsylvania town of two mills. Maniac teaches grayson to read while grayson teaches maniac baseball skills. The characters are compelling, realistic, and will challenge whatever tendency you may have towards clustering with your own. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is an orphan searching for a loving home when he finds himself in a small, segregated town in pennsylvania. Well explore the major events and problems in the book, and discuss its conclusion. Pius bak is a freelance illustrator, comic book artist and concept designer. You might try the following activities with the class before handing out the book. Explain that the book they will read is titled maniac magee. In maniac magee, what was the first book grayson read cover to. 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, by jerry spinelli is a newberry award winning novel about a young homeless boy who becomes a legend in his town. For those of you who havent already had the pleasure, let us introduce you to this wonderful book.
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. Maniac magee novel unit is a common core standard aligned book study to be used with maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Its not like the book is called jeffrey lionel magee. Jeffrey gets the nickname maniac after performing athletic feats of mythic proportions and appearing fearless in the face of bullies and other terrifying situations. 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. Jexceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. 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. Have students predict what the character with this name might be like. Write their ideas on the board, then have a volunteer look up the word in a dictionary. Reading practice, literacy skills, vocabulary practice. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee might have lived a normal life if a f. He came into this world named jeffrey lionel magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name.
Book report create a book jacket cover this book report can be used after. But maniac makes 101 bandshell boulevard a home with his attitude, some books, a lot of love. Maniac magee was born in a dump, his heart is a cereal box, he has an eightinch pet cockroach on a leash. Not only was he willing to visit the east end of town, where he was a white boy in a black neighborhood, but he could also play sports better than anyone else in. The protagonist of maniac magee is a most unusual character living a very different kind of life than most boys his age. This novel study for maniac magee, by jerry spinelli, contains 119 pages of resources, including comprehension and vocabulary by chapter, reading response activities, assessments, and more focus standards include figurative language, theme, character analysis, plot, and setting. The effectiveness of using picture books with upper elementary and middle school students cannot be. Although the book is a bit difficult to get into, the persistent reader will be well rewarded. Maniac magee study guide contains a biography of jerry spinelli, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Maniac magee explores a variety of themes including loss, homelessness, acceptance. Different covers of maniac magee maniac magee, high school classroom, writing. It has been eight years since maniac magee won both the prestigious boston globehorn book award and the newbery.