racism

[Aiden]

this book teaches a lot! more than my teacher could say!

[Zunaina]

This is a great book. people u have to read this book!! I read it with my 5th grade teacher at first i wasnt really interested but it turned out to be a good book:) Its about this kid who runs away from home and all he goes through.

[Bryce]

I Am wrote: "this book teaches a lot! more than my teacher could say!"

lol

[[deleted user]]

I love it! although one of my friends couldnt explain it with out saying ' racist'

[Sydney Jo:)]

definatally not the best book ive read:(

[Michaela]

good book but not my favorite. teachs you alot

[Megan]

My teacher read this book to the class and I really liked. It's kinda racist that the blacks have to stay on one side and the whites have to stay on the other. It's like to different towns. I probably wouldn't care and just cross the line anyway like Jeffery (Maniac) did.

[Starburst]

Megan wrote: "My teacher read this book to the class and I really liked. It's kinda racist that the blacks have to stay on one side and the whites have to stay on the other. It's like to different towns. I proba..."

i don't think that's really racist just because that's actually how some towns were. The author was just being realistic. And while I don't agree with the whole idea, we have to accept that it actually happens.

[Rileigh]

Sydney Jo:) wrote: "definatally not the best book ive read:("

This book isn't for everybody. You can have your own opinion on a book if you want this is a free country.

[MizziQ]

Agreed. That's how things were in America for a long time, and how things are still in other countries. The writer wasn't being racist for telling what was and is. Gosh. It was a neat story that I enjoyed.

[[deleted user]]

i love the part when maniac told grayson that black people eat what white people eat he was sooo surprised

[Kiki~~다은이♥♥]

Go maniacs!

[Erica]

My teacher assigned this to my in-class reading group when I was third grade. I knew about black people and white people and that Martin Luther King Day was a holiday that meant tracing our hands on different colored construction paper and watching a cartoon history video. Two Mills came off as another one of those quirky small towns books are always set in. I liked it simply because it was a fun book with contests and buffalo and runaways and a boy who made his own house in a band shell. I liked it so much, I got the book from the library and read it over spring break. Then when we came back to school and reading group started again, I would daydream or read over my favorite parts again.
Then I got older, got a goodreads account, and clicked on the summary.
What? That was a timeless award-winning children's story packed with crucial lessons and themes?
And there I was thinking it was about a kid who was allergic to pizza.
I think that's the beauty of childhood books. You can love them on a simple, earnest level without analyzing the fun out of them. I'll always admire this book. Six years later and I can still remember the characters, events, setting, and a few quotes.

[Justin]

I personally think it is racist because it dosent talk about black people it talks about other racies to!!

[Erica]

Justin-what do you mean? Of course it talks about black people. Half the characters are black.

[Melody]

Erica, love your comments....all so true. Re-reading books as an adult and seeing what was missed as a child!!! So enlightening!

[Tuesdi-jo]

I actually thought this book was speaking against racism. Yes, it speaks about segregation, and, yes, segregation is wrong, but it happened. It must be discussed. "Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it." -Edmund Burke I think Jerry Spinelli was writing a philosophical novel that was supposed to provoke thought and discussion on such social topics that are oftentimes ignored because of the darkness of subject. In fact, there is a part of the where it says that Maniac didn't see people as colors. That is way it is supposed to be. We are all equal. Color doesn't matter. No one is totally white, and no one is completely black. Everyone is their own color. I believe that that is what Spinelli wanted his readers to realize.

[Erica]

Maniac talks about that. There's a funny part where he looks in the mirror and decides he's more of a tan/peach/almond color because (paraphrasing) "The only white he could see was his eyeballs, and they weren't any whiter than the others." Wish I could find the exact quote.

[Tuesdi-jo]

Erica wrote: "Maniac talks about that. There's a funny part where he looks in the mirror and decides he's more of a tan/peach/almond color because (paraphrasing) "The only white he could see was his eyeballs, an..."
Exactly! That is what I was talking about. I can't remember the exact quote either.

[Tuesdi-jo]

Tuesdi-jo wrote: "Erica wrote: "Maniac talks about that. There's a funny part where he looks in the mirror and decides he's more of a tan/peach/almond color because (paraphrasing) "The only white he could see was hi..."
"Maniac kept trying, but he still couldn't see it, this color business. He didn't figure he was white any more than the East Enders were black, He looked himself over pretty hard and came up with at least seven different shades and colors on his own skin, not one of them being what he would call white (except for his eyeballs, which weren't any whiter than the eyeballs of the kids in the East End.)

Which was all a big relief to Maniac, finding out he wasn't really white, because the way he figured, white was about the most boring color of all." (chapter 16)

[Lilli]

First peson at the top, I agree!

[Harmony]

Any one who thinks Jerry spinelli is racist after reading this book are all wrong because in the story maniac was fixing the racism not creating it. If there was no racism was in this story maniac wouldn't stick out from the crowd as much because he wouldn't be remembered as the scrawny little white kid with a book in his hand he would just be in two mills for a day or so then move onto the next town.

[Bryan]

Starburst wrote: "Megan wrote: "My teacher read this book to the class and I really liked. It's kinda racist that the blacks have to stay on one side and the whites have to stay on the other. It's like to different ..."

This book isnt racist, what the author is strying to show is that cities were like this back then. Let me remind you that Maniac Magee is a legend and legend arent created from one day to another. This story takes you way back to the early 1900's. In fact this book really teaches you not to be racist because he has a connection with people from diffrent ethnicities.

[William]

Even though Jefferey still lived during the time where racism was going on he did a good job of maintaining himself this book can relate to the real world because racism still goes on today not just judging someone by the color of their skin but people also dont like them for the way they dress or by the way you act.