This book is really very special to me. I picked it out along with a number of discounted children's books at a used bookstore to give to the kids at a women-and-children's shelter in Los Angeles. But it caught my eye so I sat down and read it.

The story is a moving, well-written, and whimsical tale of a young white boy ("Maniac" Magee) trying to find a place for himself in a city divided between white and black. The boy loses his family at an early age and is homeless. He spends his time "running" back and forth across the line that separates white from black families, where he is taken in and also experiences some rejection by both sides. In the process of "running" back and forth, the boy manages to bring a degree of understanding to extreme characters on either side. The book teaches tolerance in a roundabout and believable (in terms of dialogue and real-life scenarios) way. At the same time it is a light and enjoyable read.

Released on Sunday, April 14, 2002 at Union Rescue Mission, 545 San Pedro St. in Los Angeles, California USA.