Blog for the Week of 1/26/15

Maniac Magee By Jerry Spinelli

Pages #103-184

Prompt: Select a quote from your reading that you liked. What made you pick it? How does it make you pause and think? 

(Contains Spoilers)

   "He knew that finally, truly, at long last, someone was calling him home." I picked this because after years of searching and rejection Maniac finally found a home. This just made me happy. I wonder how happy he was, or even if he was happy. Thinking about it this could be the end of his adventures. He has finally settled down after all that running. Actually its a little depressing now, its like the end of his main story. Which could explain why he was silent when Amanda Beale was forcing him to stay with her at her house.

   "Nobody knows who said it first, but somebody must have: 'Kid's gotta be a maniac." I chose this one because it was the beginning of his legend. It created his title "Maniac Magee". It showed me it was the start of his story. I just loved how the author did this, it made me really excited about what I 
was going to read. 

“Amanda took the torn page from Maniac. To her, it was the broken wing of a bird, a pet out in the rain.” I picked this because I really like how the author described how she felt. It showed how much Amanda cared about her books. This quote made me feel bad for her and I could really feel how sad she was. It made me think about something that I cared about but then it just breaks or becomes ruined and it made me upset. It was just a powerful quote.

    

     

Blog for the Week of 1/20/15

Maniac Magee By Jerry Spinelli

Pages #50-103

Prompt: Draw 4 objects that represent your reading. Write a sentence for each, telling what each item says about what you’ve been reading.

    The first image is a knot. I  chose this because of Cobble's knot. Mr. Cobble who owns a grocery store/restaurant has a knot that is just impossible to untie. Everyone knows about it, and lots of people attempt to untie it. The book describes it as big as a volleyball and it is so old you can barely see individual strands of the string. However, Magee did the impossible, he untied it! I think this was a very important event because the winner gets free pizza for a year. 

    The image of the pizza represents how he is allergic to pizza. Maniac is probably the only kid in the world who is allergic to pizza. They noticed it when him and the Beale's had pizza for dinner. He developed red spots all over him (kind of like pepperoni). I have no idea what he is going to do with the free pizza for a year thing, he can't even eat it. I think its a waste.

    The last two images are butterscotch krimpets and a mars bar. I chose the butterscotch krimpets they are Maniac's favorite food. He would do almost anything for them. I also chose the mars bar because of the character's who's nickname is "Mars Bar" because he is always eating them. When Maniac first came to the town of Two Mills Mars Bar offered a piece of his bar to Maniac as a challenge. Maniac just took a bite right where Mars did and that has made him angry ever since.       

Blog for the Week of 1/12/15

Maniac Magee By Jerry Spinelli

Pages #5-50

Prompt:List at least three problems the characters faced? Which was the most life changing? Explain

       The first problem Jeffery Magee faced was his parent's death. He was only three years old. They died in a train crash. After they died he had to move in with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan. They hated each other, but there were strict catholics so they couldn't get divorced. Jeffery lived with them for eight years. Eventually they never talked. I feel this is one of the most life changing because he never really knew what having a happy family is like. He didn't even know what it is like to have loving parents. I think his life would be totally different is his parents hadn't died.

       Jeffery is also clueless. He doesn't understand that in the town of Two Mills black and white people don't like each other. Jeffery doesn't understand that the West End and East End don't live or like each other because of their skin color. I don't this is a problem he will ever realize that its an actual problem. However the fact that he doesn't understand this gets him into a lot of trouble. I'm not even that far in the book and this problem has gotten him into a lot of trouble. Which isn't a good thing for him. However, I like how the author does this. It shows the reader that skin color shouldn't matter.

       What I think is the biggest problem is that he doesn't have a real home. Even though his parents death is still a life changing problem, that problem leads to this. He hasn't had an address for over two years. That is just amazing he is still alive. He is wearing rags ad falling apart shoes from all of the running. He was only nine and he was surviving without anyone to help him, without a home, and too young to get a job just so he could feed himself. This problem is actually eventually solved. I would go more into detail about it but, I don't want to spoil it for anyone. 

Blog for the week of 1/5/15

Life Adventures

When is the last time you did something for the first time?

             The last time I did something for the first time was yesterday (Jan. 8). It was the first time I danced in pointe shoes. I bought them a week before this week. My mom sewed them yesterday and right after that I danced in them. They felt very different and more comfortable than my old demi-pointe shoes which is basically the same thing except without the shank. It still does hurt a little but thats just because they aren't broken in yet. It was harder the balance in them too. I had to hold onto the bar every time we had to balance.

             I think the best part about them was buying them. It was more fun buying them than actually dancing in them. I got to try on all these different shoes, toe pads, etc. The lady who was helping me buy them was nice and really funny. However I was at the store for a very long time and my mom was getting impatient. Luckily I found the perfect pair shortly after that. Finding the right pair was the best part. When I went all the way up on my toes, it felt better than all the other pairs. I was so happy! After that we purchased them and finally went home.