Two Mills is a town bisected by ignorance and intolerance, and Maniac Magee weaves the first delicate threads to mend that rift. But most of all, they love the book because it's hilariousįor other readers, Maniac Magee is, most importantly, a thoughtful examination of race relations. They love the book for its wild and tender characters. They love the book for its propulsive energy. There are those readers-the younger ones especially-who adore the novel's larger-than-life protagonist, Jeffrey Lionel Magee, a boy who bunts fastfrogs and sleeps with buffalo. And what I realized was just how many different ways Maniac Magee continues to be cherished by so many. This round I had a box of butterscotch Krimpets at the ready (really, they're not bad), along with glowing reviews and children's testimonials crowding my laptop screen. I've read it because Maniac Magee is, at its heart, a hopeful book, and hopeful books are always to be treasured. I've read it to divine how Jerry Spinelli spins his magical web of words. I've read it for the pure pleasure of the storytelling. My old, beloved copy is tattered, the covers soft as flannel. There are books we admire and books we enjoy, and then there are books we cherish.
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