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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
Mild racial conflict and some physical confrontation
Language
Barely any
Mild language including period-appropriate racial context
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
The emotional weight of homelessness and racial division is handled with Spinelli's characteristic empathy
What this book is about
Jerry Spinelli's Newbery Medal-winning novel follows Jeffrey Lionel Magee, called Maniac, who runs away from his aunt and uncle and becomes a legend in a racially divided Pennsylvania town. The novel deals with racism, homelessness, and the way children can sometimes cross the lines adults maintain. Spinelli writes with warmth and humor. Appropriate for the middle-grade audience.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Racial division as central theme
Child homelessness
Reader Verification
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