Maniac Magee

by Jerry Spinelli

Grades 6-12; Genre - Fiction; GRL W; AR pts. 5.0

He wasn't born with the name Maniac Magee. He came into this world named Jeffrey Lionel Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about how fast he could run; about how he hit an inside-the-park "frog" homer; how no knot, no matter how snarled, would stay that way once he began to untie it. But the thing Maniac Magee is best known for is what he did for the kids from the East Side and those from the West Side.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. How does the introduction differ from the first chapter of the story? The introduction describes Maniac Magee, the legend, the first chapter describes who Jeffrey Lionel Magee really was p.1
2. Why does Jeffrey scream during the performance and run? He’s angry that his aunt and uncle hate each other and that he’s had to live with their selfishness p.7

Chapter 2

1. Describe Jeffrey. Friendly, 12 years old; homeless; could run far and fast p.8
2. What unusual behavior did Jeffrey show? He was friendly p.9

Chapter 3

1. Describe Amanda. Friendly, kind, African American; close to Jeffrey’s age; smart, liked books p.10

Chapter 4

1. Why were the high school kids in awe? Jeffrey intercepted a football, ran down the field and punted it to the wide receiver all while holding a book in one hand p.14

Chapter 5

1. How did Jeffrey go against the grain in this chapter? He carried a kid out of a mean neighbor’s backyard and then read his book on the front porch p.18

Chapter 6

1. How did Jeffrey show bravery in this chapter? He joined a family for dinner without an invitation and he ran on the train rail p.21

Chapter 7

1. What did the author compare McNab to in this chapter? A shark waiting for his victims to walk the gangplank p.23
2. How did Jeffrey humble McNab? He hit every ball McNab threw at him; hit a home run with a frog McNab pitched to him p.24

Chapter 8

1. How did Jeffrey receive the name, “Maniac”? Nobody knew his name, but in awe, they called him a maniac p.28
2. Where did Jeffrey stay? In the shed at the Elmwood Park Zoo p.29

Chapter 9

1. Why was it such a big deal for Maniac to cross the boundary from the West End to the East End? People knew that the kids that didn’t belong in one or the other would be treated badly; the people with white skin lived in one and the people with darker skin lived in the other p.32
2. What didn’t McNab and his buddies realize about Maniac? He’d already been on the East End and was fine p.32

Chapter 10

1. Summarize this chapter. Maniac got into a challenge with another kid; the kid took his book, Maniac grabbed it back but a page was torn out; a lady stopped the fight with her broom and separated the boys; the kid gave Maniac the page and left; the woman told Maniac she couldn’t always save him and to leave p.34

Chapter 11

1. Who saved Maniac from Mars Bar and his friends? Amanda p.39

Chapter 12

1. Describe Maniac’s evening with the Beale family? They played, ate, read stories and they gave Maniac a place to sleep p.42
2. Why was it important for Maniac to have an address? He didn’t have a home and now someone shared their home with him p.44

Chapter 13

1. List two ways Maniac was a good addition to the Beale household? He read stories and played with the kids, he helped around the house without being asked, walked (ran) the dog, able to untie knots; kept his room clean, bathed with the kids p.45

Chapter 14

1. List three ways Maniac enjoyed his life at the Beale’s. His new sneakers; running with the dog; pancake batter hissing while cooking; going to church; Fourth of July block party; the color of the people in the neighborhood; playing with the kids in the neighborhood p.50

Chapter 15

1. How did hanging out with the other kids influence how Maniac behaved? Give an example from this chapter. He started to behave like them; “trash talking” p.56
2. What happened when he “trash talked” at home? Mrs. Beale slapped his mouth and he hugged her and told her he loved her p.56

Chapter 16

1. What couldn’t Maniac see? That people didn’t like him due to the color of his skin p.57
2. Why didn’t they like him? He was a white boy in a black neighborhood p.58

Chapter 17

1. Why did Maniac feel like he needed to leave? Someone had written graffiti on their home, telling Maniac to leave; Maniac didn’t want Amanda’s family to get hurt p.63

Chapter 18

1. Why did Maniac take on the attitude that he didn’t care? He felt rejected and sad p.65

Chapter 19

1. Describe Amanda’s plan. Maniac should go untie the famous knot at the pizza restaurant and everyone will like him p.69

Chapter 20

1. Was Maniac able to untie the knot? Explain. Yes, but it took him all day p.70

Chapter 21

1. What made Maniac decide to leave town for good? Someone went into Amanda’s home and tore up her Encyclopedia A book p.75

Chapter 22

1. Where was Maniac staying and who found him? In the buffalo pen at the zoo; Grayson the park attendant p.79

Chapter 23

1. Predict the little worm feeling Grayson has.  Listen to your child’s answer p.86

Chapter 24

1. Why couldn’t Maniac accept Grayson’s offer? He felt like he had bad luck with parents p.89

Chapter 25

1. Describe Earl Grayson. Loved baseball; went to play in the minor league and was up for the major leagues when he played poorly while a scout was watching; he was 40 years old when he left baseball and started work at the park p.94

Chapter 26

1. What school does Maniac go to? His own; he buys books from the library and studies them p.98
2. What did Grayson ask Maniac to do? Teach him to read p.99

Chapter 27

1. Summarize this chapter. Maniac taught Grayson how to read p.100

Chapter 28

1. List two ways Maniac was good to Grayson. Taught him to read; baked for him; hugged him; loved him; invited him to sleep on his mat; praised him p.104

Chapter 29

1. What holiday did Maniac and Grayson celebrate in this chapter? Thanksgiving p.106
2. How did they celebrate? Went to a high school football game; ate a feast; danced; and Maniac wrote 101 on the building he lived in p.109

Chapter 30

1. What does it mean to trim the tree? Decorate a Christmas tree p.111

Chapter 31

1. What special gifts did Maniac and Grayson give to each other? A homemade book about Grayson’s experience and Grayson’s old baseball mitt p.114
2. What happened at the end of this chapter? Grayson died p.114

Chapter 32

1. Was Grayson’s funeral special? Explain. No, only Maniac, the funeral director and the grave diggers were there; everyone was smoking and disrespectful to Maniac and Grayson p.116

Chapter 33

1. Why was Maniac waiting for death? He was giving up p.123

Chapter 34

1. What gave Maniac purpose? Taking care of the two little boys that we’re running away p.126
2. How did Maniac get them back to town? He convinced them with his free pizza coupon p.127
3. Who came looking for the little boys? McNab p.128

Chapter 35

1. Describe the McNab household. Dirty; cockroaches everywhere; windows covered with wood; fighting; rough housing; no furniture; Dad brought home hamburgers then left and came back drunk; boys pretending to shoot the people in the East End p.131

Chapter 36

1. What kind of deals did Maniac make with the boys to keep them in school each week? He first gave them pizza, then he went into Finsterwald’s backyard and knocked on the door p.137

Chapter 37

1. How did Maniac feel about the challenges the boys gave him? He loved them; he was glad to give the boys the glory; he was happy to do them to make sure the boys were in school p.142
2. Why did the little boys think going into the East End was such a perilous challenge? They were white and were told that white people shouldn’t cross over into the black neighborhoods p.142

Chapter 38

1. Why did Maniac regret how he ran the race? He showed off and finished backwards p.147

Chapter 39

1. Why didn’t Maniac want to hang around McNab’s anymore? They were getting a bazooka ready to shoot the black people from the West End p.152 

Chapter 40

1. Why did Maniac stay with the McNab’s? He cared about them and knew they needed him p.155
2. Predict who Maniac’s going to invite to the party. Listen to your child’s answer p.157

Chapter 41

1. Who did Maniac bring to the party? Why? Mars Bar Thompson; so, the different colored people could see they weren’t different from each other p.158
2. Why did Maniac take him to the Pickwell’s first? So, Mars Bar could see good white people p.160

Chapter 42

1. Did the party end up the way Maniac thought it would? Explain. No; the McNab’s and Mars Bar didn’t learn what Maniac was wanted them to p.166

Chapter 43

1. Why did Maniac notice the homes and start sleeping in backyards or kitchen? He wanted a home p.168

Chapter 44

1. How did Maniac respond to Piper’s pleas? He walked away p.173
2. Predict how you think Russell was saved. Listen to your child’s answer 

Chapter 45

1. Summarize this chapter. Mars Bar comes to the zoo and finds Maniac; he tells him what happened to the McNab boys, he saved the one and took them home and his mom took care of them and they stayed all day and played games; Mars Bar’s mom wants to know why Maniac doesn’t go to his house; Maniac doesn’t answer but jumps into the buffalo fence p.174
2. Why is Maniac struggling with going over to Mars Bar’s? He doesn’t want them to get hurt p.179

Chapter 46

1. What did the author mean when Maniac said, “…at long last, someone was calling him home”? He was so happy to have someone tell him he was their family p.184
2. List one theme the author tried to get across in this book? All people are the same no matter the color; everyone wants a place to call home; people are good no matter where they come from; love and kindness is key