Reader’s Guide: Maniac Magee

Back Cover Highlight:
“He wasn’t always known as Maniac Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend.”

Readers Guide:  Maniac Magee
Author:  Jerry Spinelli
Recipient of the John Newbery Medal

Literature Circle Discussion designed by:  Jacqueline Bilotti, Jacqlyn Gallagher, Annaliese Melvin, Sheri Rogers, and India Simons

BEFORE READING:

1. Guide students on discussions about legends/folktales. Where do they originate? How do they spread? How far from the truth do legends grow? Discuss some examples of well-known folklore characters. Preview the book by reading the highlight on the back cover.

DURING READING:

1. Chapter 1 is titled “Before the Story,” yet acts almost as an epilogue. Why would Spinelli begin his story this way?
2. On pg. 89 Grayson repeats the phrase “ain’t that something” after Maniac tells him that black families are pretty similar to white families. Why would Spinelli have Grayson repeat himself? Do Grayson’s words apply to other parts of this text?
3. Maniac is labeled as “homeless” for the first time on pg. 95. This is right before he claims the equipment room as his address by painting 101 on the door. The idea of home and what makes a home is a recurring theme in the book. How does Spinelli connect these ideas to his perspective on racism and inclusion?
4. On pg. 155 Spinelli writes, “How could he act as a father to these boys when he himself ached to be somebody’s son?” What do you think Spinelli means by this statement and what is it’s impact on the progression of the story? Why do we think that Maniac is so invested in this (McNab’s) family’s dynamic?
5. What makes Spinelli’s narrator’s voice so effective at hooking the reader? Why do you think the author chose a third-person narrator to tell the story, as opposed to first-person (Maniac)? Who do you think the narrator is?
6. What makes a family a family? Are Grayson and Maniac a family? Why or why not? Are the McNabs a family?  How does Spinelli offer the themes of family and home as remedies for prejudice?

DURING READING ACTIVITIES:

1. Figurative Language Hunt:
   This book is rich with figurative language, making it challenging to understand at times, especially for very literal learners. This activity could look similar to a vocabulary hunt. The teacher creates a list of metaphors, similes, hyperbole, idioms, etc. used in the story. Students write down what they think each means as they encounter these examples in the text.
2. Character Comparison:
   There are many prominent and complex characters in this story. Track how these characters change as the story progresses. Who do you think had the biggest transformation? What lessons did they learn? Which character surprised you the most? Which character do you relate to?
   (Maniac Magee, Amanda Beale, John McNab, Grayson, Mars Bar, Russell and Piper, etc).
3. Curricular Invitation:
   In Chapter 17 a man from the neighborhood confronts Maniac and calls him “Whitey.” This is painful for Maniac, but he isn’t entirely sure why. Have the class break into small groups. Each group creates a chart with four columns:  Target, Perpetrator, Ally, Bystander. Groups work together to identify who they see in each role (Vasquez, 2013, p. 59). The groups can then perform a carousel walk and confirm the thinking of other groups by using symbols such as a check mark to show agreement.
4. Anchor Charts:
   1. After reading, think back to the allusions that Spinelli has woven into this piece. Create a two column chart of these references throughout the story. Then, create your own allusions that would make the story even more relatable to students today.
   2. Maniac encounters many different families throughout the story. As you read, keep track of the different families that you, as readers, encounter. Keep track of members, locations, and family dynamics. Compare and contrast the dynamics of the different families.

AFTER READING:

1. This book was written in 1990, but the setting, in terms of time period, is never explicitly stated in the book. Why do you think Spinelli chose to leave this element out?
2. Jerry Spinelli deals with race directly in this story.
   1. Why do you think Spinelli chose to make Maniac a white male? How do you think this story would change if he had made Maniac a black character?
   2. How different do you think we are as a society, locally and in general, in terms of racial tolerance, than the characters in the time period of the book?
3. Why do you think that the author wrote Maniac’s character as an outsider? What significance did it have to the story that Maniac knew nothing of the racial divides in the town?