Magee Madness
What amazing thing could Maniac Magee do that shocked everyone?
Answer: He could run faster than anyone in town.
100: Who are Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan?
Answer: The relatives who raised Maniac but always fought and lived separate lives.
100: What does the word legend mean in the story?
Answer: A story about someone known for doing amazing or unbelievable things.
100: What is one theme introduced early in Maniac Magee?
Answer: The importance of family and belonging.
100: What separates the East End and West End?
Answer: The train tracks running through town.
200: What did Maniac do at his first baseball game that made people notice him?
Answer: He hit a frogball home run off McNab’s pitch.
200: Who is Amanda Beale?
Answer: The first person Maniac meets in Two Mills; she loves books and lends him one.
200: What does scraggly mean when describing Maniac’s appearance?
Answer: Messy, thin, or rough-looking.
200: Why is Maniac drawn to Amanda Beale’s family?
Answer: They make him feel wanted and part of a real home.
200: How do people from both sides view each other?
Answer: With fear, mistrust, and prejudice.
300: Why did Maniac start running away from his home?
Answer: His parents died, and he couldn’t handle living with his fighting aunt and uncle.
300: How does Amanda Beale react when Maniac accidentally tears her book?
Answer: She’s upset at first but forgives him and defends him from others.
300: What is a hoist, and how is it used in the story?
Answer: To lift or raise something; like when Maniac hoists himself over fences.
300: How does the author show prejudice in the town of Two Mills?
Answer: The East End and West End are separated by race and class.
300: Why is Two Mills important to Maniac’s story?
Answer: It’s where he becomes a legend and learns about community and racism.
400: How does Maniac show he isn’t afraid of anyone in Two Mills?
Answer: He crosses the tracks between the East and West Ends even though others don’t.
400: Who is John McNab, and what’s his problem with Maniac?
Answer: A local baseball player who gets embarrassed when Maniac hits his “frogball.”
400: What does astonished mean?
Answer: Greatly surprised or amazed.
400: What lesson can readers learn from Maniac’s bravery?
Answer: Standing up for what’s right can break down barriers.
400: What is unusual about the layout of Two Mills?
Answer: It’s one small town but divided into two very different neighborhoods.
500: What does Maniac’s running symbolize about him as a person?
Answer: It shows his need to escape pain and search for belonging.
500: What does Amanda’s family teach Maniac about acceptance?
Answer: That true family comes from love and kindness, not race or background.
500: The narrator calls Maniac a “myth.” What’s the difference between a myth and a real story?
Answer: A myth is exaggerated or imaginary; it may mix truth with fiction.
500: How do the first five chapters set up the idea of home as more than a place?
Answer: They show that “home” means safety, love, and connection—not just a building.
500: What might the town’s division symbolize?
Answer: The larger divisions in society based on race and misunderstanding.