The Book Worm - Amanda Beale
What are Amanda Beale’s most important possessions?
Her books. Her library. Her “A” encyclopedia.
What happened to Maniac’s parents?
They died in a trolley crash that sent their trolley into the water below.
What does Mrs. Pickwell do every evening when it begins to get dark?
She blows a whistle to tell her children it was time to come home for dinner.
What did John McNab use as a ball during the group’s baseball game?
He used a frog.
What was Grayson’s job when Maniac first meets him?
He takes care of the grounds at the zoo.
Why was Amanda surprised to see Maniac Magee as she walked to school?
He was a white kid in a mostly black neighborhood.
Why didn’t Maniac like living with his aunt and uncle?
His aunt and uncle never talked to each other. They never interacted with each other.
What was unusual about The Finsterwald’s House?
All of the kids were afraid to go inside the fence around the Finsterwald’s House. They thought bad things would happen to them.
When he was a young man, what sport and what position did Grayson play?
He played baseball. He was a pitcher.
It surprised Maniac that Grayson was unable to do “something”. What was Grayson unable to do?
Grayson was unable to read.
In the middle of untying The Cobble’s Giant Knot, what did Maniac decide to do?
Take a nap.
Why didn’t Maniac want to go to school?
Maniac didn’t want to go to school because it made him sad. All of the other students went home after school, but he did not have a home. He had no one and nowhere to go.
At the Pickwell house, what did they use as a dinner table?
They used a ping pong table.
Who was the famous baseball player that Grayson struck out?
Willie Mays
What was the very first book Grayson read aloud?
The Little Engine that Could
What was used as confetti on the 4th of July?
The torn-up pages from ( Amanda’s) “A” Encyclopedia.
Whenever life became sad or uncomfortable for Maniac, what did he do?
He started running and running.
How long did Maniac run around the town?
He kept running for a year.
Why did Maniac paint a number in brown paint on the outside door of the Band Shell Room?
He wanted to have his own address.
What two holidays did Maniac and Grayson enjoy celebrating together?
Thanksgiving and Christmas
Why is Hector Street significant in this story?
It is the main street that divides the town in two halves. (East Side- mostly black people & West Side- mostly white people)
It was stated that Maniac Magee was “color blind”. In Maniac’s case, what did this mean?
Maniac didn’t care about the color of one’s skin. He treated everyone the same.
Even though they didn’t agree on everything, which character became Maniac’s running partner and friend by the end of the story?
Mars Bar
There are many important ideas and themes in Maniac Magee. Name one theme this book addresses.
(Any of these are acceptable) The Value of Community and Belonging, Overcoming Social Barriers, Friendship and Acceptance, Compassion and Empathy, Homelessness and Abandonment, Racism and Prejudice.
What special gift did Grayson give to Maniac and why was it so special?
Grayson gave Maniac his old baseball glove. It was his prized possession.