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Maniac Magee is a children's novel written by Jerry Spinelli and published in 1990. It follows the experiences of a twelve-year-old orphan-Jeffrey "Maniac" Magee-as he tries to find a home in the fictional town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania. Magee is physically outstanding; he runs everywhere and can win various athletic challenges. More significantly, because of his fearlessness and outsider status, Magee is able to move between the racially segregated neighborhoods of Two Mills without concern for the social consequences. The book has been criticized for treating the complexities of racism in an overly simplified and gentle manner, but has also received wide recognition as a tool for discussing racism and classism with younger readers. Additionally, the book has been used in several studies that explore the ways in which racism is discussed in schools, and the ways that it is handled between children. The novel won a Newbery Award.
