Jerry Spinelli

A Newbery Medal winning modern classic about a racially divided small town and a boy who runs. Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadn't made him an orphan. After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run--and not just run away, but run. This is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.

Maniac Magee

After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life becomes legendary, as he accomplishes athletic and other feats which awe his contemporaries.

Gracie Marsden

Read this in the fifth grade and I don’t remember being impressed, but as an adult, I found it to be a heartwarming tale that deftly handles difficult subjects about racism, poverty, and family. Loved it!

Laura Mauler

I don't care much for protagonists who are perfect at everything and develop a savior complex (besides Harry Potter) - as in, I didn't much care for Maniac Magee. However, I did like the Beale family and the Pickwell family quite a bit; loving and easy-going families that can welcome in any strangers and make them feel like part of the family are a bit of a weakness of mine.

Maniac magee.

Kirsten Simkiss

If it would let me, I'd give this one 3.5 stars. 

It's a good book for a kid trying to understand racism and diversity. It does set a really bad example for all the adults in this book who didn't call child services. (view spoiler)[Seriously the kid slept in a buffalo pen for a notable number of nights. Someone should have tried to get him back home again. (hide spoiler)] But it is also an excellent example of showing kids that being afraid is an obstacle that, if you can push past it, you can do amazing things like Maniac Magee and learn so many interesting things and meet very interesting people. If you aren't afraid of doing them, you can do so many interesting things.

I thought I had read this before as a child, but rereading it now as an adult I'm wondering whether or not I ever did read it.

Nadine 

Nostalgic story about an orphaned runaway white homeless kid who is racial 'color- blind' and his attempts to bring black and white together. Lovely descriptions of relationships.

Maniac Magee

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