Favorite Books of 6th graders

  • A Series of Unfortunate Events
  • College Weekend
  • Cryptid Hunters
  • Double Identity
  • Escape to West Berlin
  • Island Series
  • Kira, Kira
  • Loser
  • Love, Ruby Lavendar
  • Matilda
  • Maximum Ride
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
  • Saving Grace
  • Searching for David's Heart
  • Shadows Under the Sea
  • Snakehead
  • The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
  • The Outcast
  • Touching Spirit Bear
  • Warrior's Series
  • Zach's Lie

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Maniac Magee #1

A theme in a novel is its central idea or a message that is carried throughout the book. Two themes in Maniac Magee are family and prejudice. Give specific examples from the text that support these themes.

49 comments:

Payton E said...

testing

Christian R said...
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Paris N said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in Maniac Magee. He used prejudice because the town was split into a side for blacks and a side for whites. Also, some of the older kids called him a runt. Jerry Spinelli used family because Maniac became part of the Beale family. That is how Jerry Spinelli used prejudice and family in Maniac Magee.

Cody M said...

In the book Maniac Magee there are two types of themes called prejudice and family.The family is where the Amandas family took Maniac in their household and treated him like he was born there.
Then here is prejudice things come in and take over. The town is splite in two
ant the white people are in the west end of town and the black people are in the east end of town and neither are brave enough to go over to the other side until the legend of Maniac Magee.

Cameron H said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in Maniac Magee. For family he makes friends with a girl named Amanda and lives with her and becomes family.For prejudice he lives in the east end which is black people only and he's white so people laugh at him and called him a runt. That is how Jerry Spinelli used family and prejudice.

Luke H said...
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Payton E said...

Jerry Spinelli uses two different themes in Maniac Magee, one being family and the other being prejudice. Maniac has no family because both of his parents were killed in a trolly accident. He really wants to be part of one. When the Beals' let him stay at their house, he finally feels "at home". In this book many people are prejudice, meaning they judge people by their color. Maniac sees no difference in the color of the people and just wants to be friends. Although many people don't want to have anything to do with him because he's white. Maniac has many problems with prejudice and family and I hope he can overcome them.

Katelin K said...

Jerry Spinelli used prejudice and family for the themes in the book.A good example of family from the book is Maniac has no home so the beal family take him in as one of theirs. An example of prejudice is in the book there's a West End for white and there's a East End for black and nobody crosses over into the differen parts. When Maniac comes to the East End and he's the only white person in the whole town.Even though Manaic has many themes these are the themes I wanted you to know about.

Allie S. said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the words family and prejudice in Maniac Magee. He uses the word prejudice because there are two different ends of the town Two Mills into a black end (east end) and a white end( west end). Whites don't usually go into the black end and the black hardly ever go into the white end. For example when John McNab and his crew are chasing Maniac, Maniac runs into the east end they all stop at the line where town seperates!Jerry Spinelli uses family in Maniac Magee when his parents died in a car accident, when he lives with Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan, and also when he is living with Amanda's family.

Sophie G said...

Jerry Spinelli used two different themes in Maniac Magee, using being family and prejudice. The first theme that I got from the book for family is he wants a family because his Mom and Dad died in a trolley wreck. After his parents died he ran away and went to the East End whenever no white kid had ever done thats because he wants a family and he doesn't care what color they are. The other theme I got for prejudice is when ever Mars Bar is staring at him and he thinks he's all that and Mars Bar thinks he's the best and the toughest in the East End, until Maniac shows him up. Another example in the book that backs up prejudice is when he wants a home he doesn't care what color they are he just wants a home and a family. Here is all the problems with getting a family and the East and West End being prejudice.

Jaci O said...

Jerry Spinelli uses these family and prejudice themes by making up an East End and a West End to split the blacks and whites apart.I think Jerry Spinelli uses the family theme by seeing what would happen if Jeffery went to stay with Mr. and Mrs.Beales.They are'nt his real parents becuase sadly his parents died,and when he went to live with is Uncle Dan and Aunt Dot they never talked,so he ran away until he got to Two Mills.When he got there people got to know him as Maniac.

Brooke K said...

Jerry Spinneli uses the themes of prejudice and family in many ways.There are a couple of examples I would like to share with you about the prejudice theme.One example of prejudice in the book is how the West End is only white people and the East End is all black.Another example of prejudice in the book is how the black people treat the white people and the way the white people treat the blacks.The other theme of family is also in the book. An example of family in the book is how Mr. and Mrs.Beale let Maniac(Jeffery) into their family and him like it. Another example of family is how the Beales go to church as a big family and treat everyone like part of their family.

Kyler O said...

Jerry Spinelli uses family and prejudice in his book Maniac Magee very well. For family he put in the Beales family which maniac is living with right now in the East End part of a town called Two Mills. He uses prejudice where in the book there is two parts in the town of Two Mills. There is the West End where the White people live and then there is the East end where the black people live. The white people won't go to the black people and treat them very differently. White Kids make fun of Maniac because he lives in the black end or the East End as people call it and the black people make fun of him for living with the Beales. These are the reasons that you can see that Jerry Spinelli uses prejudice and family in his bok Maniac Magee.

Chelsea M said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes prejudice and family for many reasons. One reason why prejudice is a theme because there are two sides East End and West End. East End is blacks West End is whites. The reason why family is a theme is because Jeffery Magee is looking for a family because his parents died. At first he stayed with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan, but he ran away for a year. Right now Jeffery Magee is staying with the Beales on the East End. Everyonecalls him Maniac Magee because they think he is a maniac. He is starting to get along with all the East Enders. but im afraid this book might take an unexpecting turn. I am now starting on chapter 16.

Shane W said...
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Christian R said...

In the book Maniac Magee there are two different themes that are taking place, one is prejudice and one is family. This book deals with having a family because Amanda's family brought Maniac into their family.Also there's prejudice betweeen the east end and the west end because when John McNab chased Maniac into the east end but stopped before he was actually in the west end.

Abbey W said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in Maniac Magee. He uses the theme prjudice by having a East and West End. The East end is where the blacks live and the whites live in the West End. He uses the theme family by making his parents die and then making him live with his aunt and uncle until he runs away. Then Maniac has no family until Amanda Beale's parents let him stay at their house because they find out that he has nowhere to live.

Gage T said...

In the book, Maniac Magee, family & predijuce are a big thing in this book because Maniacs parents died in a drunken train accident and the East End is all black and the West End is all white (S.W.P(Or Spring White Pride). Predijuce was a big deal in the days of Maniac I guess. Now Maniac Magee is a legend of the boy who bunted a frog and many more reasons. Jerry Spinneli's book Maniac Magee is a terrific book of predijuce & family.

Tania L. said...

Jerry Spinelli uses alot about prejudice and family! This is because he does not have a family but soon to come along on the book he finilly fines a family and gets to live with them! Prejudice for Maniac is a big deal in this book because he goes to Two Mills which is the black part of town and he meets a girl that is black(he is white) and talk to her and asks for a book and so she gives him one,and runs off to school.
He keeps the book for a while then goes back to the East End and and trys to return the book good as new and he cnat do that now a boy named Mars Bar takes it for him and rips a page from it! Amanda see them and goes over there! Soon Maniac lives with Amanda thats an example of prejudice. For family wise him parents die so he goes to live with Uncle Dan and Aunt Dot! Well he runs away from them to Two Mills! Thats why family is very important is the book Maniac Megee book.

Luke H said...

In the book Maniac Magee, two themes I saw
were family,and prejudice. I think one theme would be family is because the family had
feelings and enough heart to keep and provide a home for Maniac.I think the other theme is prejudice because people are in fights about black and white, but I think it will get better. I really think that if the city got to know Manic better,no matter their race , that the would love him.

Dustin E said...

In Maniac Magee, there are a few people who bully Maniac.John McNab is one of them, he thought he could strike out Maniac, but he couldn't. After Maniac hit the ball Maniac started to leave. John stops him and says, "where you running to?" Maniac says hes not running anywhere.
John gave him a head start to run, he ran and they chased him. Maniac runs to the east side and they laughed. So he turns around and starts walking. Maniac runs into a kid named Mars Bar he asked if he wanted a bite of his candy bar. Maniac said sure. Then Mars Bar pushes him and asked if he was bad.

Tucker M said...

I think that Jerry Spinelli discribes prejudice with John Mcnab stoping the chase just because he went to the east end of town. He also makes you feal that the family that MM [Maniac magee] lives with is the family was born in.

Skyler H said...

Maniac Magee practicly has a family because of Amanda.

Carsyn H said...
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Jake H said...

In Maniac Magee the themes family and prejudice are used throughout the book. When Mars Bars calls Maniac fishbelly that is an example of prejudice. Family is used in Maniac Magee because the Beales take Maniac in asmone of there own. That is how family and prejudice are used in Maniac Magee.

Carsyn H said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and predjudice in Maniac Magee. He used predjudice by having to sides of town Black and Whites. He also uses family by him living in the Beale families house , and getitng along with the brother and sister and Amanda.These are the themes Jerry Spinelli uses.

Ashlea S said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudise in Maniac Magee. He used family because of the Beale.Jerry Spinelli aslo used prejudise because the two ends (East and West End)which are two spilt sides for the black and white.That is how Jerry Spinelli used family and prejudise in the book, Maniac Magee.

Dylan H said...

The family theme is true because he gets a new family. He now lives with Amanda and her family. Jerry used prejudice, because he splits the town up into two groups the West End, the whites, and the east End, the blacks. That is how Jerry used the themes family, and prejudice.

Katie G said...

jerry spinelli used predjudes, because the town as seperated into 2 parts one for blacks and one for whites.jerry used family because, maniac didn't have a real family for quit a while. when manaics parents died he went to live with his uncle and aunt that shouldn't have gotten married in the first place.these carecters fight all the time. maniac couldn'thelp but, run away.maniac didn't have a choice of who he wanted to live with.this is how the author of maniac magee used predjudes and family to make maniac magee a wonderful book for everyone!

Brett U said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and pedjudice in Maniac Magee also know as Jeffery Magee. One of the themes for family is that Jeffery has nowhere to live and Maniac finds his way 200 miles from home. On the East End Jeffery meet a girl name Amanda Beale, and ask for one of her books One day she found him kind of in a fight with Mars Bars Thompson. During the fight, one of the pages of Amanda's was torn and Maniac and Amanda went to her house to fix the page, and lives in the Beale household. One of the themes of prejudice is when in the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's is when Blacks and whites hate each other and the white's had their things and the black's had their things. That is how Jerry Spinelli used family and prejudice in Maniac Magee.

Kassidy S said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the theme words family and prejudice.He used the word prejudice because the town is split up into 2 parts the east and west end.The blacks lived at the east end and white people at the west end. And Jerry Spinelli uses the word family because Manic Magee does not have a home because is parents have died by a dolly.Then he lived with is aunt and uncle and they did not like eachother.He had lived with there aurguing for years and so Manic Magee ran away and so he does not have a family.

Maddie D said...

Jerry Spinelli used the themes family and prejudice in his book Maniac Magee. He used the theme prejudice by saying that the town,Two Mills, is broke up into two sides by the color of the people's skin. He used the theme family when he said that Maniac became part of the Beale family.

Lyle S said...

Jerry Spinelli writes that Maniac Magee has problems with his family so he ran away, and after awhile he finds a family to love him.The town was split into two different parts.

Mariana F said...

jeryy Spinelli writes about family and prejidice because were he lives were there is a side for the blacks and a side for the whites. Some of the other kids make fun of him because of his size. He uses family because he becomes a family member of the beale's family. So that is how Jerry Spinelli uses the words family and prejidice in the book Maniac Magee.

Aubrey V said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in "Maniac Magee".Jerry used prejudice in his book by making the town split into two seperate parts of East where the blacks lived and west where the whites lived.He useed the theme family in his book by creating the emotion of how much family was important to Maniac.He had to go live with his non-stop fighting he also creates that feeling by making the reader understand that Maniac ran away from home because he felt that his aunt and uncle weren't truly a family because they fight too much to be a true family who loves and cares about each other.That is how Jerry creates his two themes of family and prejudice.

Cole B said...

Maniac Magee is testing and is a realy good book.

Skyler H said...

hee hee hee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wesley H said...

In the book Maniac Magee,Jerry Spinelli used family and perjudice a lot. He used family a lot because he was seperated from his family in a car wreck and also because he became apart of the Beale family. He also uses perjudice because the west end was the white side and the east end was the blacks side.This is why Jerry Spinelli uses family and perjudicea lot in Maniac Magee.

Taylor S said...

In the book Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice. One example of family is that Maniac Magee lives with Amanda and helps take care of Amanda's little brother and sister.Another example of family is that Maniac Magee is welcome with Amanda's family even during segregation. One example of prejudice is that there is an East and West Side of Two Mills. The East End is mainly black people only, and the West End is mainly white people only. Another example of prejudice is that the people of the East End don't appreciate Maniac Magee talking to Amanda and walking and running through the East End. That is how Jerry Spinelli used the themes family and prejudice in the book Maniac Magee.

Skyler H said...

hellow cole

Kelsey C said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in Maniac Magee. He used prejudice because The Mills are split into black people and white people. He uses family because he stayed with the Beale's.

Christy W said...

Jerry Spinell gives examples of family and prejudice here are some of the examples. One for prejudice is when the author told us about pepole from the east never came to the west end because in the east in lived black people and in the west end lived white pepole .The white people thought less of the black people because the color they were same goes for the black people. I think that is wrong because all in the end we are all people no matter what color we are. Examples of family is when Maniac ran away from home because his aunt and uncle were not getting along. Then he ran all the way to the east end where the black people are and ended up liveing with a girl named amanda. I think it is sad that Manic had to run away from his own home although i think that it is good that he found a new home where he will be loved. Although I wonder what will happen next?

Nicole M said...

Jerry Spinelli uses the themes family and prejudice in "Maniac Magee." He uses the theme prejudice by the way the town is split. The East end is the black peoples side of town. The West end is the white peoples side of town. He uses the family theme by how Maniac's parents die in a trolly accident. Then he has to go to live with his aunt and uncle who hate each other, but since they are strict Cathlics they won't get a divorce. They get two of everything. One day Maniac runs away. Now you see how Jerry Spinelli uses the family and prejudice themes.

Kalle W said...

In the book Maniac Magee there was two themes called, predjudice and family. The way family was brought in to this book was when Maniac ran away and when he met Amanda who had a family. Predjudice was used when the kids from the West Side never went over to the East Side. Really these themes were good and bad but did leave a good message for people. Another example of family was when the Beale family took Maniac into their home. Then the way of predjudice was used when the "Cobras" and John McNab called him a runt. Really and truthfully I wonder what will happen to Maniac next.?

Kellsey F said...

Jerry Spinelli wrote Maniac Magee using the themes family and prejudice throughout
the whole entire book. It used prejudice because there was an East End and a West End and the different colored people were not suppose to go to the other side. Jerry Spinneli also used family because Jeffrey (Maniac) became part of the Beale family with Amanda, Hester, Lester, and Mr. and Mrs. Beale. These are just some of the ways that Jerry Spinneli used the themes family and prejudice throughtout this book.

Izaya W said...

Jerry Spinelli used these themes family and prejudice in Maniac Magee.Jerry Spinelli used prejudice when he seperated the whites from blacks.HE also used prejudice when the Cobras were throwing rocks at him and calling him runt.Jerry Spinelli used family when Maniac lived with the Beales.Maniac loved to clean and always did the dishes.He also took bathes with Amanda's little brother and sister.He treated them like they were his own family.Amanda Beales family loved Maniac.Maniac felt safe with Amanda Beales family.This is all what Jerry Spinelli wrote by meaning prejudice and family.So everybody, thank you for reading my comment.

audreyc said...

Jerry Spinelli wrote Maniac Magee using family and prejudice in his book. A way he used family is when Maniac became part of the Beale family. A way he used prejudice is that the town Two Mills was seperated into East End and West End. These are just a couple ways Jerry Spinneli used the themes family and prejudice in his book.

Jared W said...

Maniac Magee has family and prejudice themes. Maniac's parents die in a crash, so Maniac runs away to live with the Beal family. Prejudice is in the book because white kids won't go to the East Side of town and black kids won't go to the West Side of Two Mills. This is why Maniac Magee has family and prejudice themes.

Shane W said...

Jerry Spiniell talks about two themes in his book they are family and prejudice .These are some examples of those themes. An example of prejudice is there are blacks on one side of the town of Two Mills.One example of family is the Beale family lets him live in their house.That is how he uses the themes prejudice and family in the book Maniac Magee,