Reviews

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. “Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring.” Jeffrey Lionel Magee was an orphan at three and ran away from Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan at eleven. [Did I mention: Newberry Award Winner?] He settled as the only white kid in the East End. “He couldn’t figure why these East Enders called themselves black. He kept looking and looking, and the colors he found were gingersnap and light fudge and dark fudge and acorn and butter rum and cinnamon and burnt orange. But never licorice, which, to him, was real black.” He became a legend, but more importantly, he found a home. A fun and heart-warming read.

For my extended notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2024/04/maniac-magee-by-jerry-spinelli.html

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vermontsnowboarder's review

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Maniac Magee is an interesting book that deals with some heavy things in a lighthearted way.

This book isn't for everyone—the style that it's written in can make it difficult for some children to connect to. There were questions that my 11-year-old had and couldn't get over in order to get into the story. They were all legit questions. And while I know that some children can suspend disbelief for the sake of a story, my kiddo isn't one of them.

Those questions were:
- Why didn't Jeffery's aunt and uncle call CPS?
- Why didn't Mrs. Beale call the police?
- Why didn't the bison attack Jeffery?
- Why didn't Greyson help Jeffery get back to his family? Isn't it creepy that an old man just took in a random kid?

roseleaf24's review

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Medal Winner 1991

mgarzee's review

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challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

stephxsu's review

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4.0

MANIAC MAGEE is one of those unassuming, yet quietly powerful novels, despite its Newbery Award win and near canonization in modern children’s literature. It’s a seriously ageless novel, in that readers can always get something new out of it, no matter what age you are. When I read this book for the first time in elementary school, I enjoyed the realistic banter between the children, between the blacks and the whites. Now, as I reread it for my children’s literature class, I am in awe of the way that Spinelli effortlessly weaves a moral tale into something entertaining and unique. His language is brilliance, stars and moon itself, and his characters are memorable and relatable. Even though I’m still not a fan of Maniac, with his improbable feats and passivity, this book is a must-read if you’re looking for the best of the best in children’s lit.

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