Book talk on Maniac Magee by: Jerry Spinelli

1. Maniac Magee
By: Jerry Spinelli
By: Samantha Lee

2. About the Author: Jerry
Spinelli
• From Norristown, PA
• First Publication was in 1982, Space
Station Seventh Grade
• Best known for Maniac Magee and
Wringer

3. A little info about the
book
• Gold Newberry Award Winner
• Realistic fiction

4. Summary
• Jeffery Magee loses his parents in a
trolley accident when he is 3 years
old. Jeffery goes to live with his
Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan. In the
middle of a musical program he
runs away. Jeffrey ran over 200
miles and a year later ended up in
a town called Two Mills. In this
town it is divided into the West and
East side; or the white and black
part of town.

5. • His first day in Two Mills he makes
four appearances which get him his
nickname Maniac. A black family
takes Jeffery in, and all is good
until racist remarks come about.
Maniac decides to leave, and goes
and stays at the zoo. An old man
finds him and takes him, when the
old man dies Maniac runs away
again.

6. • Maniac is taken in by another
family but they don’t like blacks so
he decides the park is better.
Through some other struggles he
finds himself living with a good
family at the end.

7. Highlight of the book
• My favorite part was that a kid not from this
separated town can come in and go through
so much hard troubles, but still in the end
bring the town together. He is an orphan and
just keeps going the whole time, while the rest
of the town has it good but fusses about
everything.

8. The End!