A wonderful story of this beloved newbery medalwinning book is the first of five books in patricia maclachlans chapter. Maniac magee is a childrens book written by jerry spinelli. All characters jeffrey lionel maniac magee amanda beale earl grayson giant john mcnab. 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. On the inside he is very sweet, caring, polite, kind, and adventurous. He has astonishing athletic abilities, runs everywhere he goes, can untie any knot, is allergic to pizza, and crosses the barrier between the east end and west end as if blind to racial distinction. Keeping track of maniac magee characters storyboard that. They have a conflict when maniac magee wants to move out of the beales house and back into the deer pen.
Choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. About maniac magee maniac magee summary character list glossary themes quotes and analysis part 1 chapters 18 part 1 chapters 921 part 2 chapters 2227 part 2 chapters 2832 part 3 chapters 3345 symbols, allegory and motifs metaphors and similes irony imagery segregation and racism in the 20thcentury united states literary. How is the pickwell family like the beale family in. He meet amnada and they went for a walk and they ran into the school bully mars bar he is very mean. This character is a bully that wants everyone to know how tough he is. Amanda beale is the first person that jeffery meets. 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. For those of you who havent already had the pleasure, let us introduce you to this wonderful book. The books protagonist, jeffery or maniac magee, is orphaned at a young age and runs away to two mills in search of a home. Maniac magee maniacs real name is jeffrey lionel magee. There are many legends and myths about maniac magee but only some of them are true. Maniac magee is the main character in the book maniac magee by jerry spinelli. You might make lists of 10 to 15 words to assign as refrigerator studies. Maniac magee was a fictional character in jerry spenellis book, maniac magee.
Books similar to maniac magee meet your next favorite book. In maniac magee, jerry spinelli writes a young adult novel in which the main character. Feb 27, 20 jeffery lionel maniac magee loses his parents when he is threeyears old, and goes to live with his aunt and uncle. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is an orphan and finds himself in two mills, where he becomes a local legend while trying to find a home. He is an 11 year old whose parents died on a trestle. First have students look up the words and add their meanings to the list. The following words appear in maniac magee and may be unfamiliar to some students. In maniac magee, spinelli has created a legendary character. When he was in the east end one day he met a girl named amanda. Alone and orphaned, the boy spends the majority of the novel searching for an address and a family of his own. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is an orphan and finds. More than half of the characters and scenes do not match the characters in the book. Two boys a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny einstein in leg braces forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force.
In the book he was a good runner but there is no evidence he played any sports. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Amanda carries her entire book collection around town in a suitcase so. Other characters in maniac magee include amanda beale, hester and lester, mars bar thompson, piper and russell mcnab, and john mcnab. In the book, earl grayson is a big part and character. Arnold jones is the generic name given to a kid of about 10 years old. Then he meet haster and lester hester is 7 and lester is 3. Maniac magee book unit contains graphic organizers for an interactive notebook and game activities covering vocabulary, constructive response writing, and skill practice. Dec 29, 2014 maniac magee is a great unit for teaching both theme and character change. 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. The book follows the main character, maniac, as he travels the town of two mills.
He becomes a legend for his interaction with both blacks and whites as well as his amazing feats such as bunting the frog jokingly pitched to him in a baseball game, untying the huge knot that has long hung in front of a. He is quite the risk taker since he crossed over to the east end, but on the inside he is a different person. Then instruct them to tape or use a magnet to post the list on. When jeffrey was in two mills, the first person that he met was jeffrey. The gang is run by mcnab, the older brother of the two runaway boys, piper and russell, that maniac discovers in valley forge. Without a place to call home, maniac bridges racial boundaries with his super athleticism, knotuntying abilities, and overall good. Maniac tries to find a home, soothes tensions between rival factions on the tough side of town, and becomes a true hero.
Its about jeffrey lionel magee, sometimes known as maniac magee, and about the people of the fictional town of two mills. He has astonishing athletic abilities, runs everywhere he goes, can untie any knot, is allergic to pizza, and crosses the barrier between east end and west end. Identify the major characters in maniac magee and type their names into the different title boxes. Jeffrey is orphaned and finds himself in two mills, where he becomes a local legend while trying to find a home. Who are all the characters in maniac magee answers. 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. Youll surely recognize him from the dream world of furs by sebastian, where hes one of the. Maniac magee is a book that stuck with me long after i read it in fifth grade for the first time. He presents maniac as a legendary figure, and leaves it to the reader to decide what is true and what is myth. When he reaches the town two mills, jeffery meets amanda beale, a young black girl, and borrows a book from her. Maniac becomes a legend in two mills, a town with an east end for blacks and a west end for whites.
Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is the books main character. The story reminded me of paul bunyan and other legendary folks who had mindboggling abilities. 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. Maniac magee is a novel written by american author jerry spinelli and published in 1990. This character at a very young age loses parents and later shows great physical ability. What are all the names of the characters names in the story maniac. Jeffery lionel maniac magee loses his parents when he is threeyears old, and goes to live with his aunt and uncle. 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. However, after awhile jeffery gets fed up with his aunt and uncle and runs away. Maniac magee is about jeffrey lionel magee s search for home and the racial prejudice in the town of two mills. Answers is the place to go to get the answers you need and to ask the questions you want. This character lives in the local ymca and works as a grounds keeper for the town.
The first half of maniac magee made me wonder why the book s been popular for a quarter century. Jexceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. Remember when you were ten or so, and a mouth full of braces and moms special haircut were. The first half of maniac magee made me wonder why the books been popular for a quarter century. This activity was created by a quia web subscriber. What are all the names of the characters names in the story. The writing is excellent throughout, but initially i wasnt interested in maniac or the other characters. One way the author of maniac magee used characterization in the novel is by creating specific characters. Maniac magee part 1 chapters 18 summary and analysis. In jerry spinellis novel maniac magee, the main characters name is jeffrey lionel magee, but hes better known by the nickname maniac. The grumpy old man helps maniac see the prejudice all around him in the east end. Maniac followed grayson around and helped him with his work at the park.
Select colors and a pose appropriate to story and character traits. She carries her books in a suitcase so they arent ruined. Another way the author used characterization in the novel is by creating. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli is full of interesting characters. John mcnab is infuriated when he cannot strike out jeffrey with his ball. Although the book is a bit difficult to get into, the persistent reader will be well rewarded. Its about prejudice and love and home and baseball and fear and understanding. Jeffery maniac magee is the main character of the novel. Jeffery lionel magee maniac magee genre of the story. 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 borrows a book from amanda beale, buys books from the library, teaches grayson to read, and performs amazing feats to bribe russell and piper to go to. Maniac magee characters from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
Maniac magee maniac s real name is jeffrey lionel magee. Amanda beale is the first person jeffrey meets in two mills. The author of maniac magee used characterization in the book in a couple different ways. Book titles with characters names page 4 show list info. The book follows the main character, maniac, as he travels the town of two mills, meeting and growing close to people like amanda. How is the pickwell family like the beale family in maniac. Reading practice, literacy skills, vocabulary practice. Need help on characters in jerry spinellis maniac magee. With a book in one hand, he catches a football and punts it perfectly. Yup, we lined up to reserve amanda beale as our bff, too. Nobody except amanda beale had any other name for him, so pretty soon, when they. Maniac magee is a television film made for the nickelodeon network, based on the novel of the same name by jerry spinelli. When maniac arrives in two mills, he performs extraordinary feats that amaze everyone, making him cool times ten.
It features a strange boy named jeffrey magee who loses his parents and runs away at age eleven, ending up a year later in two mills, a town in pennsylvania thats divided into two sides. He ran away from his aunt and uncles house because they were not getting along. Amanda says she was just about ready to let him read her encyclopedia a but since hes leaving, he cannot. Use a character map to keep track of maniac magee characters.
The main character in the book is jeffrey lionel magee, maniac magee he is very brave, helpful, and courageous. This humorous yet poignant story tells of a superathletic teenager who bridges his small towns racial gap. He can run very fast, untie difficult knots, and is allergic to pizza. It won the 1991 newbery medal and remains a vital, relevant classic. Maniac magee, lived with his parents until he was 3 years old. In maniac magee, jerry spinelli writes a young adult novel in which the. The east end, where all the black families live, and west end, with all the white families. Just as greyson had helped jeffery, jeffery returned the favour. They played baseball together, and grayson taught maniac tricks of the game. Amanda says she was just about ready to let him read her encyclopedia a but since hes leaving, he.
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