In a continued effort to read elementary school books, I finished Maniac Magee this morning. While not as moving as The Giver, it was an interesting book taking a simplistic look at ideas of race, homelessness, family, and childhood.
The race relations in the book seemed superficial, but at a good level for the age I was when I read it. At the same time, Jeffery (Maniac) appeared to have a deep understanding of his sense of homelessness and lack of a family unit. Even though I grew up in what appeared to be a fairly functional family on the surface, I was able to identify with him. This fact made me think more deeply about my own association with various groups in my life and question whether I am just searching for a structured family in my life--a group I can be with and feel like I belong with. Things to ponder.