Module 7: Out of my Mind

Out of my Mind
by Sharon Draper

Book Summary:

Out of my Mind is the tale of Melody, a fifth grader with cerebral palsy, who cannot speak. She is very intelligent, but most people underestimate her mental capabilities because of her physical setbacks. Melody narrates the story of her life and allows the reader to experience her frustration and anger as she deals with everyday life, school, home, and trying to establish friendships and any sense of normalcy. Melody is able to communicate freely for the first time after her parents order a Medi-Talk machine for her. The new machine enables the rest of the world to see how intelligent Melody really is and she is able to interact with her family and classmates. Because of the Medi-Talker, Melody is able to try out for her school’s quiz team and she makes the team with the highest score on the qualifying quiz. It is obvious that Mr. Dimming, the quiz team teacher, is uncomfortable with this new development, but he allows her to be on the team. Melody helps her team win the regional championship and earn on spot at the national competition in Washington D.C. However, Melody faces a trauma many pre-teens deal with when she is not easily accepted by the other members of the quiz team. Their resulting actions break Melody’s heart and causes instant outrage by her parents. Things are put back into perspective when Melody’s younger sister faces a traumatic experience of her own, that Melody was helpless to prevent. In the end Melody realizes that the emotional turmoil of her life is pretty characteristic of a normal pre-teen girl and not being in control of her own life is a reality that she must face.

Draper, S. M. (2010). Out of my mind. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

My impressions:

This was a very emotional book to read. I found myself mesmerized by the idea of a handicapped child being trapped in her own body with words trapped in her perfectly capable mind. I felt as though I truly understood the wide range of emotions and frustrations that Melody was feeling as she tried to communicate with those around her. The book also helped me to become more empathetic to those people I encounter on a daily basis who are facing struggles of their own. I also appreciated that the author included the reality of the way special education students are treated – even sometimes by their teachers, when she was left behind by the quiz team. The emotions displayed by the students, the teacher, and Melody felt raw and uncensored and I was able to understand both perspectives and clearly see the wrong and right of the situation, while being aware that the wrong is more often the common practice when dealing with inclusion students. I was grateful that the author didn’t sugarcoat things and allowed Melody to react in a way that is characteristic of a young girl her age and showed through the quiz team kids that some people are just not capable of befriending a handicapped child, because that is something that takes bravery and selflessness – which are not common traits among young children.  

Professional review:

Gr 4-6–Born with cerebral palsy, Melody, 10, has never spoken a word. She is a brilliant fifth grader trapped in an uncontrollable body. Her world is enhanced by insight and intellect, but gypped by physical limitations and misunderstandings. She will never sing or dance, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets to her friends. She’s not complaining, though; she’s planning and fighting the odds. In her court are family, good neighbors, and an attentive student teacher. Pitted against her is the "normal" world: schools with limited resources, cliquish girls, superficial assumptions, and her own disability. Melody’s life is tragically complicated. She is mainly placed in the special-ed classroom where education means being babysat in a room with replayed cartoons and nursery tunes. Her supportive family sets her up with a computer. She learns the strength of thumbs as she taps on a special keyboard that finally lets her "talk." When she is transitioned into the regular classroom, Melody’s undeniable contribution enables her class to make it to the national quiz team finals. Then something happens that causes her to miss the finals, and she is devastated by her classmates’ actions. Kids will benefit from being introduced to Melody and her gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes and reveals the quiet strength and fortitude it takes to overcome disabilities and the misconceptions that go with them.

Follos, A. (2010, March 17).  [Review of the book Out of my mind, by S. Draper]. School
           Library Journal, 56(3), 156. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Narrator Melody is a fifth grader with cerebral palsy, but she is much more than that. Like her hero Stephen Hawking, Melody is damaged on the outside and brilliant within. It takes awhile for the adults in her life, especially her teachers, to see just how much life there is behind those stiff arms and hands, wobbling head, and "slightly out of whack" dark brown eyes. While her parents and babysitter know that Melody has a rich intellect, few people realize just how bright she is until she receives "Elvira," her Medi-Talker computer. Claire, a classmate in Melody's inclusion class, says what many of us think when we see a person with cerebral palsy, "I'm not trying to be mean--honest--but it just never occurred to me that Melody had thoughts in her head." Draper paints the picture of a real fifth grader, a girl with tantrums and attitude, problems with mean girls and oafish adults. Hearts will soar when Melody makes the quiz team and plummet when her classmates end up leaving her behind at the airport. When Melody sees danger and cannot get others to understand, we feel her frustration and terror. This is a powerfully eye-opening book with both an unforgettable protagonist and a rich cast of fully realized, complicated background characters.

Smith, R. (2010, March-April). [Review of the book Out of my mind, by S. Draper]. The Horn
          Book Magazine, 86(2), 53. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com

Library Uses:

The librarian could highlight this book by doing a book trailer and showing it to the co-teach or inclusion classes on campus. Supplement activities that I would suggest and would help prepare for the teacher would be an activity revolving around how it feels to be misunderstood or not heard, something Melody experiences on a daily basis. Students could also compare Melody’s life to her fish Ollie’s life in his fish bowl after reading the novel and display their creations in the library around a display of the book or a "What's Everyone on Campus Reading?" display.

Module 6: A Bad Case of Stripes

A Bad Case of Stripes
by David Shannon

Book Summary:

Camilla Cream is about to start back to school after summer break, but she has a small problem: her skin has broken out in stripes! Camilla is extremely distressed by her strange appearance and her mother allows her to stay home. The doctor concludes that she is not contagious and should return to school the next day. Unfortunately, Camilla’s condition seems to be quite impressionable and as students call her names such as checkerboard and purple lollipop, her skins morphs to match. Specialists are called in and Camilla’s transformation continues resulting in her growing roots, berries, feathers, crystals, and even a tail – all multi-colored. It appears that the more that Camilla denies who she really is, and what she really loves (lima beans), the more she loses herself. When Camilla finally accepts that she is different than everyone else and is not embarrassed by her love for lima beans she is able to return to her normal appearance.

Shannon, D. (1998). A bad case of the stripes. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

My impressions:

I thought this was a great story about peer pressure and not being afraid to be different. The illustrations were beautiful, full of bright colors and intricate details and captured the emotions of the story in a delightful way.  I would use this story in an advisory lesson about diversity and not being afraid to be different, whether that means you like lima beans and everyone else hates them, or if you look differently than everyone else.

Professional review:

Camilla, who loves lima beans but won't eat them because it's not cool, finds that deferring to others isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, her desire to please and be popular causes her some spectacular problems: she suddenly breaks out in stripes, then stars, then turns "purple polka-dotty" at the behest of a delighted classmate. Her weird mutations, which stymie doctors and send the media into a frenzy, become more and more extreme until she finally blends into the walls of her room-her lips the red-blanketed mattress on her bed, her eyes the paintings on the wall. Will she never be herself again? Shannon's over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book's irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades. Try this for leading into a discussion on being different.

Zvirin, S. (1998, January 1). [Review of the book A bad case of stripes, by D. Shannon]. Booklist, 94(9), 
       825. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com

Library Uses:

This book is an excellent choice for story time with younger students. The illustrations are colorful and express the emotions of Camilla in an honest way that brings the pages of the story to life. After reading the story I would discuss with students the importance of accepting themselves for who they are, even if they are different from their peers. I would encourage students to share ways in which they are different from their peers and how they can be proud of their differences.

As a supplemental fun activity after the story and discussion, students could get their faces painted, to express that it’s ok to be different, just like Camilla. They could get stripes, checkerboard patterns, whatever they wish – as long as no two students have their faces painted the same way!

Module 5: Monster

Monster
by Walter Dean Myers

Book Summary:
Sixteen-year old Steve Harmon is on trial as an accomplice to felony murder in Walter Dean Myer’s novel, Monster.  Steve is an aspiring film maker and generally good kid trying to stay out of trouble on the streets of Harlem. After a drug store owner is killed in a robbery gone wrong, Steve is accused of being the lookout. The trial is told from Steve’s viewpoint and is written in the form of a screenplay with occasional journal entries.

As the story unfolds, we learn how the robbery took place, how scary life in prison can be for a young man, and the extremes convicted inmates will go to in order to reduce their sentences or attain a plea bargain. It is unclear whether Steve was actually involved in the robbery or just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, as his attorney claims. At the end of the novel, we see Steve’s innocence has been stolen and he is struggling with how to deal with the fact that no one, not even his own family views him the same any longer. He is struggling with whether or not he truly is a Monster, just as the prosecutor accused, and if that is all other people see when they look at him.

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. New York, N.Y: HarperCollins Publishers.

My impression:
This book had a dark tone throughout, which was fitting for a novel portraying the life of a sixteen-year old facing felony murder charges. The screenplay format was difficult for me to read at first, but the story line and my curiosity over whether Steve was involved or not helped me to press through until I eventually became accustomed to the format. Myers describes life in prison in a way that convinced me it was somewhere I would never want to be. I think this book would be a perfect choice for students who have a bright future ahead of them and a lot of potential but are not choosing their friends wisely or are beginning to head in the wrong direction.

Professional Reviews:
Arrested and charged with murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is writing a screenplay of his ordeal. Interspersed with his handwritten journal entries, Steve's script makes up a novel that in both form and subject guarantees a wide teen audience. Balancing courtroom drama and a sordid jailhouse setting with flashbacks to the robbery that resulted in a shopkeeper's murder, Myers adeptly allows each character to speak for him or herself, leaving readers to judge for themselves the truthfulness of the defendants, witnesses, lawyers, and, most compellingly, Steve himself. Did Steve serve as a lookout for the robbery? Was he in the store at all? Through all the finessing and obfuscation of the trial process, readers will find plenty of evidence for a variety of conflicting opinions. Even the cri de coeur in Steve's journal leaves plenty of room for interpretation: "I didn't do nothing! I didn't do nothing!" Tailor-made for readers' theater, this book is a natural to get teens reading — and talking.


Sutton, R. (1999, May/June). [Review of the book Monster, by W.D. Myers and C. Myers].
       Horn Book Magazine 75(3), 337. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com

Library Uses:
Before reading Monster, students could complete a librarian created webquest to build background knowledge on Harlem, statistics on robbery/murders, information about prisons, and the laws in your state regarding minors being tried as adults. At the end of the webquest students could submit a blog entry discussing their thoughts on how they would handle being accused of being an accomplice to a robbery turned murder.

Module 5: Bud, Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis

Book Summary:
Bud, Not Buddy is an exciting tale about Bud Caldwell, a ten year old orphan, living in Michigan during the Great Depression. Bud became an orphan at the age of six when his mother died. As the story opens Bud receives the news that he has been placed in a new foster home with a family who has a twelve year old son, Todd. Todd is a mean bully and after sticking a pencil up Bud’s nose proceeds to fight him. When the boys are caught fighting by Todd’s mother, Todd blames the entire incident on Bud. Bud is then banished to the shed outside where his imagination gets the best of him and he fears for his life when spotting what he believes to be vampire bats. The vampire bats turn out to be hornets and Bud is stung numerous times causing him to lose his balance and cut himself on mounted fish heads in the shed.

Exasperated by this experience, Bud escapes the shed, exacts revenge on Todd and goes “on the lam.” Next Bud decides to track down Herman E. Calloway, who he believes is his father based on several brochures he has from his mother that feature Herman and his band, The Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Along his way Bud meets a man who he at first believes to be a vampire, Lefty Lewis, but  Lefty turns out to be a friendly old man with a sharp sense of humor who helps Bud reach Mr. Calloway.

Herman E. Calloway is not to happy to have Bud around and doesn’t believe there is any way he could be his father, seeing as how he is so much older than Bud. The lead singer of The Dusky Devastators convinces the band to take Bud in for awhile and eventually a special rock with a location written on it helps Bud and Herman figure out their relationship and how they both knew Bud’s mother.

Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not Buddy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

My impression:
I fell in love with this light-hearted story. Bud is instantly likable and his innocence and imagination captured my attention immediately. I chuckled over his “rules on how to have a funner life and be a better liar” and empathized with his longing to know his father and the terrible void that was left by his beloved mother’s death. Christopher Paul Curtis did an excellent job of sneaking in details about The Great Depression and hints about what life was like for African Americans during the 1930’s. This story will resonate with readers young and old.

Professional Reviews:
In a story that's as far-fetched as it is irresistible, and as classic as it is immediate, a deserving orphan boy finds a home. It's the Depression, and Bud (not Buddy) is ten and has been on his own since his mother died when he was six. In and out of the Flint, Michigan, children's home and foster homes ever since, Bud decides to take off and find his father after a particularly terrible, though riotously recounted, evening with his latest foster family. Helped only by a few clues his mother left him, and his own mental list of "Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself," Bud makes his way to a food pantry, then to the library to do some research (only to find that his beloved librarian, one Charlemae Rollins, has moved to Chicago), and finally to the local Hooverville where he just misses hopping a freight to Chicago. Undaunted, he decides to walk to Grand Rapids, where he hopes his father, the bandleader Herman E. Calloway, will be. Lefty Lewis, the kindly union man who gives Bud a lift, is not the first benevolent presence to help the boy on his way, nor will he be the last. There's a bit of the Little Rascals in Bud, and a bit more of Shirley Temple as his kind heart and ingenuous ways bring tears to the eyes of the crustiest of old men--not his father, but close enough. But Bud's fresh voice keeps the sentimentality to a reasonable simmer, and the story zips along in step with Bud's own panache.

Sutton, R. (1999, Nov. 1). [Review of the book Bud, not Buddy, by C.P. Curtis]. Horn Book Magazine
       75(6), 737. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com

Gr 4-7 --When 10.year-old Bud Caldwell runs away from his new foster home, he realizes he has nowhere to go but to search for the father he has never known: a legendary jazz musician advertised on some old posters his deceased mother had kept. A friendly stranger picks him up on the road in the middle of the night and deposits him in Grand Rapids, MI, with Herman E. Calloway and his jazz Band, but the man Bud was convinced was his father turns out to be old, cold, and cantankerous. Luckily, the band members are more welcoming; they take him in, put him to work, and begin to teach him to play an instrument. In a Victorian ending, Bud uses the rocks he has treasured from his childhood to prove his surprising relationship with Mr. Calloway. The lively humor contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time. Bud is a plucky, engaging protagonist. Other characters are exaggerations: the good ones (the librarian and Pullman car porter who help him on his journey and the band members who embrace him) are totally open and supportive, while the villainous foster family finds particularly imaginative ways to torture their charge. However, readers will be so caught up in the adventure that they won't mind. Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud.

Isaacs, K. (1999, Sep. 1). [Review of the book Bud, not Buddy, by C.P. Curtis]. School Library Journal
       45(9), 221. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Library Uses:  
Bud has made a list of rules he lives by called “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself” As an introduction to the novel, the teacher-librarian could have several of Bud’s rules printed on posters as discussion starters for students. Students could then brainstorm their own rules to live by and give them a catchy title, just as Bud did. After brainstorming, students could collaborate in groups of 3 to 4 to create posters to hang around the library. 


In Chapter 8 of the book Bud and Bugs are going to ride the rails out West. The teacher librarian could begin a discussion on The Great Depression and how common it was to ride the rails. Students could watch the PBS video, Riding the Rails (The American History Project/Out of the Blue Productions, Inc.) for background information about hitching rides on trains. After watching the video, students could write a letter from Bugs to Bud telling him how he is doing and what life is like riding the rails.

Module 4: The Giver

The Giver
by Lois Lowry

Book Summary:
The Giver is a dystopian novel told from the point of view of Jonas, an eleven year old about to receive his Assignment (job) at the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas lives in a community where everyone is the same to avoid the suffering of life. However, in order to be spared this suffering much had to be given up, such as colors, feelings of love (both romantic and familial) and free choice. Jonas’s assignment is to be the next Receiver of Memory, the person in the community who holds all the memories of the past, in order to help the elders make difficult decisions they may lack the understanding to make.

As Jonas receives the memories of the past from The Giver he begins to change. He learns the truths of the community, like that “release” is euthanasia of the old, undesirable new children, and members of the community who have broken rules three times. Jonas learns of past tragedies such as wars, loss, natural disasters and feelings of despair. However, he also receives the pleasant memories such as feelings of love, pleasure, and what it means to be a family.

The breaking point for Jonas is when he realizes that a baby his father has brought home from the nurturing center for extra attention will be released. Only Jonas really knows what this means, and because himself and the Giver are the only members of the community who are able to feel any emotions, he is grieved by this reality with no one to turn to who understands. Jonas decides to run away with Gabriel to save his life and to release the memories of the community back to them. The ending leaves you wondering if sameness will be a thing of the past because of Jonas’s escape or if he and Gabriel made it to another community that did not succumb to the idea of sameness generations ago.

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

My impressions:
This was a very thought provoking novel and I couldn’t put it down once I began reading. I was overwhelmed with the thoughts of a life without emotions or choices and I realized that without tragedy there could be no joys. The topics of euthanasia, diversity, acceptance, and emotions were very well portrayed by Lowery and could provide for excellent Socratic seminar discussions with middle school honors students. 

Professional reviews:

Gr 6-9--In a complete departure from her other novels, Lowry has written an intriguing story set in a society that is uniformly run by a Committee of Elders. Twelve-year-old Jonas’s confidence in his comfortable “normal” existance as a member of this well-ordered community is shaken when he is assigned his life’s work as the Receiver. The Giver, who passes on to Jonas the burden of being the holder for the community of all memory “back and back and back,” teaches him the cost of living in an environment that is without “color, pain, or past.” The tension leading up to the Ceremony, in which children are promoted not to another grade but to another stage in their life, and the drama and responsibility of the sessions with The Giver are gripping. The final flight for survival is as riveting as it is inevitable. The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time.

Kellman, A. (1993, May 1). [Review of the book The giver, by L. Lowry]. School Library Journal 39(5), 124.
       Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Library Uses:
Because of the controversial nature of this book and it’s placement on several banned books lists, the librarian could display it during banned books week and promote it with a book trailer during this time. I would also recommend this book for literature circles, as opposed to whole class study. Students could create memory books as a supplemental activity to the novel and include memories of either their own life or memories that they think would be important for a Receiver to have.

Module 4: Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee

 by Jerry Spinelli

Book Summary:
Maniac Magee is the tale of Jeffrey “Maniac” Magee who was orphaned at a young age after his parents his were killed in a train accident. He was sent to live with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan in the “house of two toasters.” The house is unbearable because Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan can’t stand each other and eventually stop speaking to each other. They also refuse to share their belongings with each other. Jeffrey becomes so distraught in this situation that he runs away in the middle of a school musical. He is on the road for a year and ends up in Two Mills, Pennsylvania.

Two Mills is a town that is racially segregated with black people living on the East side of Hector Street and white people living on the West side of Hector Street. On his way into town Jeffrey meets Amanda Beale and then proceeds to have a series of small adventures by accomplishing memorable feats that were otherwise thought to be  impossible in the eyes of the town’s children. Because of his achievements, Jeffrey becomes a local legend and earns the nickname “Maniac.”

Maniac is oblivious to the pandemonium he is causing all around him and befriends all who he encounters, regardless of race. After rescuing Amanda from the local bully, he becomes the Beale’s houseguest and enjoys the time spent with a loving family. Unfortunately the Beales are an African American family and the other citizens of the East End do not approve of Maniac’s presence and make trouble for the Beales. Not wanting to cause any more trouble for the Beale family, Maniac runs away again. He ends up at the zoo where he meets Earl Grayson, the groundskeeper. Maniac and Grayson forge a strong friendship and Maniac begins to feel like he has found a home with Grayson, until Grayson dies in his sleep one night. Maniac is next housed by the McNabbs, in the worst of conditions. Mr. McNabb is somewhat crazy, if not only paranoid, about the East Enders planning an attack on the West Enders. Maniac stays with the McNabbs because he is concerned for Piper and Russell McNabb and tries to keep them going to school. Eventually Maniac becomes homeless again after bringing Mars Bars back to a party at the McNabbs.

Several weeks later Mars Bars ends up rescuing Russell McNabb from the train tracks and a truce of sorts begins to be forged between the East and West Ends. Amanda Beale is led to Maniac by Mars Bars and she convinces him to come back home to the Beale house where he belongs.

Spinelli, J. (1990). Maniac Magee: A novel. Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

My impressions:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the adventures of Maniac Magee. Jerry Spinelli does an artful job of tackling tough issues such as racism, segregation, and homelessness in a way that is approachable and appropriate for adolescent audiences. I love that Maniac gave no mind to the color of anyone’s skin, and treated everyone in the best way he could, no matter how ugly they were to him. The legacy that Maniac leaves behind on the town of Two Mills is an important theme throughout the book and would be an excellent discussion starter in a classroom.

Professional reviews:

Gr 6-10--Warning: this interesting book is a mythical story about racism. It should not be read as reality. Legend springs up about Jeffrey "Maniac" Magee, a white boy who runs faster and hits balls farther than anyone, who lives on his own with amazing grace, and is innocent as to racial affairs. After running away from a loveless home, he encounters several families, in and around TWo Mills, a town sharply divided into the black East End and the white West End. Black, feisty Amanda Beale and her family lovingly open their home to Maniac, and tough, smart-talking "Mars Bar" Thompson and other characters are all, to varying degrees, full of prejudices and unaware of their own racism. Racial epithets are sprinkled throught the book; Mars Bar calls Maniac "fishbelly," and blacks are described by a white character as being "today's Indians." In the final, disjointed section of the book, Maniac confronts the hatred that perpetuates ignorance by bringing Mars Bar to meet the Pickwells--"the best the West End had to offer." In the feel-good ending, Mars and Maniac resolve their differences; Maniac gets a home and there is hope for at least improved racial relations. Unreal.? Yes. It' s a cop-out for Spinelli to have framed this story as a legend--it frees him from having to make it real, or even possible. Nevertheless, the book will stimulate thinking about racism, and it might help educate those readers who, like so many students, have no first-hand knowledge of people of other races. Pathos and compassion inform a short, relatively easy-to-read story with broad appeal, which suggests that to solve problems of racism, people must first know each other as individuals.
 
Shoemaker, J. (1990, June). [Review of the book Maniac Magee, by J. Spinelli]. School Library Journal 
       36(6), 138. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

In this modern-day tall tale, Spinelli (Dump Days; Jason and Marceline) presents a humorous yet poignant look at the issue of race relations, a rare topic for a work aimed at middle readers. Orphaned as an infant, Jerry Magee is reared by his feuding aunt and uncle until he runs away at age eight. He finds his way to Two Mills, Pa., where the legend of "Maniac" Magee begins after he scores major upsets against Brian Denehy, the star high school football player, and Little League tough guy, John McNab. In racially divided Two Mills, the Beales, a black family, take Maniac in, but despite his local fame, community pressure forces him out and he returns to living at the zoo. Park groundskeeper Grayson next cares for the boy, but the old man dies and Maniac moves into the squalid home of the McNabs, who are convinced a race war is imminent. After a showdown with his nemesis, Mars Bar, Maniac bridges the gap between the two sides of town and finally finds a home. full of snappy street-talk cadences, this off-the-wall yarn will give readers of all colors plenty of food for thought.

Donahue, R. & Roback, D. (1990, May 11).  [Review of the book, Maniac Magee, by J. Spinelli].  Publishers 
       Weekly 237(19), 260. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com

Library Uses:
A school librarian should promote this novel to faculty members as an excellent choice for a class study. Themes to discuss throughout the novel study could include racism, segregation, and homelessness. Students could define what makes a house a home to them - is it the physical location, the people, or the feelings and then discuss Maniac’s search for a place to call home and if he was successful at the end of the novel in finding that. Students could also be prompted to keep a journal written as Maniac recording in first person all of his amazing feats (untying Cobble’s Knot, running on the rails, rescuing a boy from Finsterwald’s back yard) and his thoughts as he lives with the Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan, the Beales, Grayson, and the McNabbs.The librarian could order supplemental activities and additional resources to include information about segregation in the US in the 1960s and create a kit for this novel to be checked out by teachers.