Manic Magee

Maniac Magee

By Jerry Spinelli

Brett Grayson

Journal Entry Number 1

Pages 1-40

Maniac Magee is both a simple and complex story. To think that anyone could do so many things considered impossible is astounding. Jeff is unique and strange, which fits into what he does. Examples of this are crossing a segregation line, (from the West End to the East End) or by batting a thousand against the most infamous Little League Pitcher, Jonathan McNab.

Even though Jeff was always running, he still had time to make friends. Amanda Beale, Jeffrey's first friend, he met while she was going to school. Jeff saw that the suitcase Amanda was carrying was filled with library books. Although Amanda didn't usually lend her library books out, she made an exception with Jeff. She did this because he was annoying her. He promised he would guard the book with his life. That was until the Cobras, a gang run by John, chased him into the East End.

This is where Jeff met Mars Bar Thompson. Mars was one of the meanest thugs on the East End. Mars knew Jeff didn't belong, so he jumped off his stoop and offered him a bite of his Mars bar. Unknown to Jeff what was happening, he accepted and took a bite of the used end of the candy bar. Everyone who witnessed this thought it was an outrageous act of disrespect.

Page 2

In response, Mars tried to steal the book Jeffrey had sworn to protect. He ended up ripping a page from it.

Just as the page was being torn from its staples, Amanda happened to walk by. She instantly knew this act of indecency was caused by Mars. Amanda told him off and saw Jeff next to her. She then asked Jeff what he was doing there. Jeff wasn't as concerned with the question as he was with the book. He unscrambled the torn text and said,

"We can fix it."

Amanda then invited Jeff to her house and then they were off.