Question for Audio Response

15. Do you think the title fits the book? Why or why not?
Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

http://aviary.com/artists/katatanaka/creations/introduction

Character Post 3

Mars Bar Thompson is an important character in the book Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. First of all, Mars was one of the first people from the East End to bully Maniac. In chapter ten, Mars has an unpleasant meeting with Maniac. For example, Mars takes away the book Maniac borrowed from Amanda Beale. When Maniac asks for it back, Mars doesn't give it back and claims that it's his now. Mars calls Maniac fishbelly and Mars stops bullying Maniac when a lady sweeping her house interferes (35, 36). Finally, Mars affects Maniac because he doesn't like him. Maniac could see Mars trying to trip, tackle, and even splash water on him. This made Maniac think about why Mars did not like him. With the help of Mars, Maniac realized why people disliked him (58). Without Mars Bar Thompson in the story, the book Maniac Magee would be different! I think that Spinelli is trying to display the importance of how blacks and whites treated each other.
Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Maniac Magee Part 1 Bonus

Theme Post 2

One theme from the book Maniac Magee is loving family. Jerry Spinelli uses Maniac Magee as an example of him loving family. In this book, Maniac lives with the Beale family (a black family) for a period of time. Maniac experience the love and warmth of Mrs. Beale. Although Mrs. Beale may have slapped his mouth for talking trash, she quickly replies by hugging him and saying "I'm sorry. I love you...I love you..." (56). In this section of the book, Spinelli displays that even though family will be angered or mad at you, they will always love you. Another example that displays this theme is when Grayson gives Maniac his glove (114). Grayson's glove represents his life as a pitcher. Grayson loved Maniac so much that he was willing to give his glove to him. Spinellie shows that a family can love eachother so much, that they want the best for them.

Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Character Post 2

Amanda Beale is a girl who loves books (Spinellie 10-13)! She is the first person to know Maniac's real name (29). She is very important to the story because her family allows Maniac to live with them. Since then, the Beale's and Maniac have lived on 728 Sycamore Street in the East End (44). In the story, Amanda sacrifices her room for Maniac (45). Maniac reads all of her books and is waiting for her to finish the Encyclopedia A (56). In chapter 18, Amanda fights with Maniac about staying home. She encourages him to be happy and stay with the Beale's (64-66). Also, Amanda teaches Maniac about Cobble's knot (67). Amanda influences Maniac so much in this story. She loves him and allows him to be part of her family. I think that Jerry Spinelli is trying to display the love of family, books, education, and other things through her character. She is a good roll model for Maniac, her siblings, and to readers!
Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Theme Post 1

Maniac Magee has a lot of themes throughout the book such as racism. In this book, Maniac is oblivious to the fact that blacks and whites are seperated. For example, Maniac runs into Mars Bar Thompson, the black bully of the West End. Mars offers Maniac a bite of his candy bar and Maniac eats it. During this time, whites never put their mouths where blacks did (34). Maniac suprised all the black kids surrounding him! Spinelli teaches that racism is a serious issue. He displays Maniac as a innocent white kid in the black part of town, being bullied and not knowing why.
Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little, Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Character Post 1

In the beginning, Jeffrey Lionel Magee (the main character of the book) was a homless kid who often stayed with the deer at Park Zoo (Spinelli 29). Jeffrey was an orphan at the age of three after his parents died in a trolley accident (5). He originally lived with his Uncle Dan and Aunt Dot untill he ran away because they never got along and tried to share Jeffrey (6-7). Jeffrey was tired and mad of them and decided to run away during a school play (7). After this, Jeffrey always wanted to have an adress, family, and home. Later on in the story, he lives with Amanda Beale on 728 Sycamore Street (44). Finally, Jeffrey has a home, adress, and family that he's always wanted.

In this book, Jeffrey is a legend who is often referred to as Maniac Magee (29). Maniac Magee was very athletic. For example, he hit one of John Mcnabs fast balls (which no other kid could do) (22-27). Also, Maniac showed up at a high school football practice and intercepted the highschools quaterback throw with one hand (15). Maniac Magee was also oblivious to racism. He did not know that Hector Street was the line between the blacks and whites (32). Maniac was a boy who was athletic, but yet didn't know about racism.
Work Cited
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. Boston: Little Brown Young Readers, 1999. Print.

Author Post

1. Jerry Spinelli is an author who won to Newberry awards for his two famous books Maniac Magee and Wringer (Kerby).

2. Jerry Spinelli lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Eileen (Goodreads).

3. Jerry Spinelli decided to become a writer instead of a major leauge shortstop (Goodreads).

4. Jerry Spinelli gets most of his story ideas from his childhood feelings or from other kids (Goodreads).

5. Jerry Spinelli attended college in Gettysburg and Hopkins Universtiy(Goodreads).

6. Jerry Spinelli was born on February 01, 1941 (Goodreads).

7. Jerry Spinelli was born in Norriston Pennsylvania (Goodreads).

8. He originally wanted to become a cowboy or baseball player (Goodreads).

9. He got his start in his career by writing a poem in a school newspaper(Goodreads).

10. He writes alot of childrens novel such as Stargirl, Wringer, Maniac Magee, and Crash(Goodreads).

Work Cited

Kerby, Mona. "Jerry Spinelli Biography." Welcome to Maryland's Carrol Country. Web. 03 Feb, 2010.http://www.car.org/autoco/spinelli-j.htm
"Jerry Spinelli" Share Book Reccomendation With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs Answer Trivia. Web. 03 Feb, 2010.http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12696.Jerry.Spinelli

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