Practice Questions for Maniac Magee

Before the Story (short)

1.      Where do “they” say Maniac Magee was born?

A dump

2.      What will the man at Cobble’s Corner take out of a drawer and show you?

A clump of string

3.      What children’s game has a rhyme about Maniac Magee?

a.      Skip rope

Chapter 1:

1.      Where was Maniac born? In a house in Bridgeport

2.      What happened to his parents? They died in a high speed trolley accident on the trestle over the Schuylkill River.

3.      What caused the accident?  Drunk motor man (driver)

4.      What kind of dive did the trolley make into the water?  Swan

5.      What was Maniac real name? Jeffrey Lionel Magee

6.      How old was he when his parents died? 3 years old

7.      Who did he get sent to live with? Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan

8.      Where did they live? Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania

9.      How many years did he live with them? 8 years

10.  How did Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan share things? They didn’t – they had 2 of everything and they didn’t talk.

11.  Why did they not divorce?  They were strict Catholics

12.  What happened at the night of the musical? Magee began to shout out from the choir, “Talk, talk, talk…”to his aunt and uncle and then he ran away.

Chapter 2 (short chapter)

1.      Where did Magee run to? Two Mills

2.      How far is it from Holidaysburg to Two Mills? 200 miles

3.      How long did it take him to run from Holidaysburg to Two Mills? 1 year

4.      What do they call that year? The Lost year

5.      From the people that met Magee, what are some of the descriptions?  A little kid jogging, sneakers so worn out the soles kept flopping, and as he would pass people he would say, “Hi” and then be gone.

6.      What flops open like dog tongues? The soles of Maniac's sneakers

Chapter 3

1.      Who was the first person to stop and talk to Magee? Amanda Beale

2.      Why did Magee stop and talk to her? She was carrying a suitcase and he thought she may be like him: running away

3.      What did Amanda Beale have in her suitcase? Books

4.      Why did Amanda carry books to school in a suitcase? Her little brothers and dog would ruin them if she left them at home.

5.      How was the town of Two Mills divided? The East End was where the black people lived and the West End was where the white people lived.

6.      Which book did Amanda give Magee to read? The story of the Children’s Crusade

7.      What happened to Amanda because she stopped and talked to Magee? She was late for school for the first and only time in her life.

8.      What is Amanda's address? 728 Sycamore

Chapter 4 (very short chapter)

1.      How many appearance did Magee make that first day? 3

2.      Where was the first? At the high school fields during 11^th grade gym class

3.      What sport game were they playing? Football (and some were playing soccer)

4.      What did Magee do that caused him to be remembered? He intercepted a pass, ran  to the other end of the field and then punted it back to who had intercepted it from.

5.      What was the name of the guy Magee stole from and returned the ball to? Hands Down

6.      What about how Magee had done it was almost unbelievable? He had done it all one handed because he had a book in the other hand.

Chapter 5

1.      What was the nickname of 803 Oriole Street? Finsterwald’s

2.      What was the reputation of Finsterwald?

3.      What was the backyard here full of?  Abandoned balls and model airplanes

4.      Who was dumped in this backyard by some highschool bullies?  Arnold Jones

Chapter 6

1.      What was Mrs. Pickwell's whistle used for?  Summon her kids home for dinner

2.      Where do the Pickwells eat dinner?  At a ping pong table

3.      Why does Dierdre kick Dion in the shins?  He suggested that the new boy (Maniac) was her boyfriend.

Chapter 7

1.      Why did John Mc Nab have to prove he was 12 years old?  He was so big for his age

2.      What position does John play in baseball?  Pitcher

3.      Where does Maniac set his book while playing baseball?  On home plate

4.      Why was Maniac trying for an “inside the park home run bunt”?  The ball was really a frog and he didn't want to hurt it

Chapter 8 & 9

1.      Where did Maniac sleep in town?  Elmwood Park Zoo

2.      Who are the Cobras?  John McNab's gang (white teens)

3.      What was the boundary between the East and West end?  Hector street

4.      What do the Cobras think will be like “a bare big toe in a convention of snapping turtles”?  The white boy Maniac among the Blacks of the East End.

Chapter 10 & 11

1.      What does Maniac do to the Mars Bar he is offered?  He takes a bite

2.      Who helps Maniac when Mars Bar rips a page from Amanda's book?  A lady with a broom

3.      What does Amanda need to protect her books from?  Crayon scribbling of her brother and sister.

Chapter 12 & 13

1.      What colour was Mrs. Beale's bucket? Yellow

2.      What colour was the crayon she was washing off the TV screen? Purple

3.      What had been in the jar that the kids dropped on the floor?  Sauerkraut

4.      Where does Mr. Beale work?  At a tire factory

5.      Who are Hester and Lester?  Amanda's little brother and sister

6.      What are the house numbers 728 made of? Cast iron

7.      What is the Beale's dog called? Bow wow

8.      Where does Maniac sleep?  On the floor of Amanda's bedroom

9.      What kinds of knots does Maniac untie?  Shoe lace knots (sneaker knots)

10.  What is Maniac allergic to?  Pizza

11.  How does he realize this?  He had red blotches on his skin after eating it.

Chapter 14

1.      Who gave Jeffrey new sneakers? Mrs. Beale

2.      What is the name of the Beale's church?  Bethany

3.      How many touch downs (TD's) had he scored in one day? 49

4.      Why does Maniac want to hold onto the name Jeffrey?  It is the only link to his parents he has left.

Chapter 15 &16

1.      What is trash talk?  Slang and swearing

2.      Which encyclopedia volume does Amanda have?  A

3.      Why can't they get more volumes?  The supermarket offer has expired

4.      What makes Maniac colourblind?  He doesn't see people as black or white

Chapter 17 & 18

1.      What is being sold on toothpicks on a hot day?  Kool Aid ice cubes

2.      Who says “Now Move On”? The Old Ragpicker

3.      What is written in yellow chalk?  “ISHBELLY GO HOME”

4.      What happened to the letter “F”?  Mrs. Beale washed it off

5.      Why won't Maniac be able to get a library card?  If he leaves the Beales he will not have an address

Chapter 19-21

1.      What is the 8^th wonder of the world in Two Mills? Cobble's Knot

2.      How big is it?  Like a volleyball

3.      Whose brain is it compared to?  Einstein's

4.      What is the knot untying prize?  1 large pizza per week for a year

5.      What is a zep?  A type of hoagie (a submarine sandwich)

6.      What does Maniac do after eating a Krimpet?  Has a nap

7.      When does he finish taking apart the knot?  At dinner time

8.      How long was the string?  4 and ½ blocks

9.      What was the confetti poured on Maniac's head made of?  The letter A encyclopedia

Part II Chapter 22-24

1.      What is the first food Grayson gives to Maniac?  Chicken noodle Cup of Soup

2.      Why are there buffaloes in what used to be a deer pen?  They were switched last month

3.      Where does Maniac have a shower?  At the Y where Grayson has a room

4.      Why does Grayson scrape Maniac's skin with a fingernail? To see if he is white under the dirt

5.      How many Krimpets did Grayson buy the first time?  30

6.      What was dessert at the diner Grayson took him for supper?  Coconut custard pie

7.      What surprises Grayson about black people?  That they eat mashed potatoes

8.      What had Grayson wanted to be when he grew up?  A baseball player

Chapter 25-26

1.      What is Grayson's first name?  Earl

2.      What had happened to Grayson at Blue Star restaurant?  He had been told he could get a free meal there so he ordered expensive food and didn't pay.  He spent the night washing dishes to pay his bill

3.      Who does Grayson say Maniac is to his superintendent?  His nephew

4.      Who says “I ain't got no stories”?  Grayson

5.      What happened to Grayson during a baseball game when a famous scout was watching?  He had the “flat-out awfullest game of his life.”

6.      What does Grayson teach Maniac?  Baseball pitch “Stop ball”

7.      How does Maniac spend his “Krimpet money”?  He buys discarded books at the library

8.      What could Maniac prove about an isosceles triangle?  That its two sides were equal without using a ruler

Chapter 27-28

1.      What was Grayson's childhood like?  His parents were alcoholics

2.      What was Grayson's teacher like?  Didn't believe his class could learn to read at all

3.      How old was Grayson when he left school? 15

4.      What did Grayson learn in 3 days?  The alphabet

5.      What is the first sentence Grayson reads?  I see the ball

6.      What is the first book he reads cover to cover?  The Little Engine that Could

7.      Where does Maniac cook in the bandshell equipment room?  In a toaster oven

8.      What does Maniac say after the book is done?  Amen

9.      What does Maniac serve him as a treat?  A corn muffin and apple juice

10.  Why does Grayson stay overnight?  He is tired and Maniac convinces him

Chapter 29-32

1.      How did Grayson and Maniac wipe their noses on the cold day of the football game? Used their sleeves and napkins from concession stands

2.      What were three non-traditional items on the Thanksgiving menu? Raisins, SpaghettiOs, Butterscotch  Krimpets

3.      What kind of music do Grayson and Maniac listen to after dinner? Polka

4.      How many polka recordings does Grayson own? 31

5.      What colour does Maniac paint the number 101?  Brown

6.      How did they decorate their outdoor Christmas tree?  With natural items such as milkweed “boats”, sumac berries, pinecones

7.      How was the door of 101 Bandshell Blvd decorated for Christmas?  A wreath

8.      What was Maniac holding on Christmas morning?  A paper bag

9.      Who do they wish a Merry Christmas? Animals (muskrats and zoo animals outdoors)

10.  What does Maniac give the baby buffalo? (Three scarves tied together)

11.  What is the title of the book by Jeffrey L. Magee?  The Man Who Struck out Willy Mays

12.  What gift do both Maniac and Grayson give each other?  A pair of gloves

13.  Where had Grayson hidden his final gift for Maniac?  In a baseball equipment bag

14.  What was the gift?  Grayson's old baseball glove

15.   On which date does Grayson die?  December 30

16.  Who did Maniac tell that Grayson had died?  The zookeeper

17.  Why did Maniac run away from the grave side?  He did not want to see what the grave diggers would do when the minister did not show up

18.  Who were the pall bearers?  Members of the trash collecting corp

19.  How many mourners were there?  Only Maniac

Part III

Chapter 33-34

1.      What does Maniac carry his belongings in when he leaves the band shell? Grayson's black satchel (bag)

2.      What are some of the places Maniac sleeps at night?  Abandoned car, buffalo pen, empty garage, basement stairwell

3.      How does Maniac avoid begging?  Doing odd jobs and errands; going to soup kitchen for food

4.      Where does Maniac go “to die”? In a cabin at Valley Forge (a historical location where George Washington had spent a winter while a military commander)

5.      What names do the little boys call each other outside the cabin?  Meatball and Beef Jerky

6.      Where are the little boys planning to run away to?  Mexico

7.      Why are some of the boys afraid of answering where they are from?  They think Maniac is a cop

8.      Why do they pat Maniac all over?  Searching if he has a gun

9.      Who does Maniac pretend to be?  A pizza delivery boy promising a large pizza

10.  How far was Valley Forge from Two Mills?  5-6 miles

11.  What does Maniac promise to show they boys if they return to Two Mills with him?  A short cut to Mexico

12.  Who did it turn out these little boys were?  John McNab's little brothers

13.  What does John call Maniac when his little brothers are clinging to him?  The frog man

Chapter 35-36

1.      Why does Maniac tell a story about John McNab throwing a stopball?  Because Maniac wants the boys to admire their brother, not just him

2.      What surprising thing does the McNab dog do in the living room?  Pees on the floor

3.      What small things does Maniac see all over the McNab house?  Raisins that turn out to be roaches (cockroaches)

4.      Why were there brown footprints in the kitchen?  Someone had stepped into a broken jar of peanut butter on the floor

5.      What two categories are found in the refrigerator?  Beer and mustard

6.      How does Mr. McNab announce dinner time?  “Chow”

7.      What do Russell and Piper drink?  Beer

8.      Where does the football game take place?  In the house

9.      Who do Russell and Piper plan to attack with real machine guns some day?  The people of the East End (the Blacks)

10.  What is Maniac's excuse for not leaving for Mexico right away?  It is volcano season there

11.  How long does Maniac agree to stay in Finsterwald's backyard?  10 minutes

12.  How many witnesses are there? 15

13.  What colour is Finsterwald's door? White

Chapter 37-38

1.      Why does Maniac agree to all the dares that the little boys give him?  Because then they promise to go to school for one more week

2.      Who does Maniac kiss as a “heroic feat”?  The buffalo baby at the zoo

3.      What kind of day was it when Maniac crosses to the East End because of a dare? April after rain, worms allover the sidewalk

4.      What had Maniac done with worms while he lived with Uncle Dan and Aunt Dot? Picked up the worms with a fork, put them in a wheel barrow and dumped them in a compost pile

5.      What challenge does Mars Bar give Maniac?  To race him

6.      Why did they make so many starting lines?  Nobody had a yard stick at first, so the lines were crooked

7.      Which street was the race route?  Plum street

8.      How did Maniac win the race?  Running backwards

Chapter 39-40

1.      Why are the Cobras bringing the cement blocks into the house? To make a barricade for when the people of the East End come and try to take over the West End

2.      What does Giant John call the people of the East End? “Today's Indians”

3.      Who else had dinner with the Pickwells after Maniac leaves the McNab's?  A down-and-out shoe salesman

4.      Which family do the Pickwells remind Maniac of? The Beales

5.      What will Piper and Russell build with wood in the backyard?  A raft

6.      Where does Maniac decide not to take these boys again?  To the library

7.      What makes Maniac say “No more Mr. Nice Guy”?  Piper and Russell use his baseball glove as a football

8.      How long do these boys listen to him after this outburst? 3 days

9.      Why does Maniac leave?  The boys tell him to leave when he stomps on their guns

10.  Why does Piper want Maniac to return? To come to his birthday party

Chapter 41-42

1.      Who is the surprise guest at Piper's birthday party? Mars Bar

2.      What feat do the Pickwell children ask Mars Bar to perform? Stopping traffic

3.      Who does Mars Bar say was beaten in the race by Maniac?  His brother Milky Way

4.      What present does Maniac offer Piper? A compass

5.      How do the boys tell Maniac they accept his deal? Three way high-five

6.      Why do the Cobras laugh at Mars Bar?  One jumps through the ceiling and they see the scared look on Mars Bar's face

Chapter 43-44

1.      How long does Maniac live homeless after the birthday party gone bad? About 2 weeks.

2.      When is Maniac's favourite time of day? Before sunrise when West and East End are the “same”

3.      Where does Maniac start to sleep at night after a while? In people's backyards or on their porches

4.      Who runs with Maniac in the mornings? Mars Bar

5.      What is unusual about their running?  They don't look at or talk to eachother; they part ways at daybreak

6.      Who comes to Maniac asking for help? Piper

7.      Where is Russell? On the trestle bridge where Maniac's parents had died

Chapter 45-46

1.      What had Maniac done when asked to rescue Russell?  He ran away

2.      What does Mars Bar want to know?  Why he ran away; he knew it wasn't fear

3.      Why does Mars Bar not want to enter the buffalo pen?  He thinks they eat humans

4.      What makes the amplified gulp sound? An emu

5.      What was Mars Bar afraid Russell would do after he rescued him? Kiss him

6.      What does Mars Bar's mom force him to play with the McNab boys? Monopoly

7.      What does Mars Bar invite Maniac to do? Come to his house for a visit

8.      What has Mars Bar changed his name to? Snickers

9.    Who forces Maniac to come “home”? Amanda