The following collection of thematically related readings is available in Maniac Magee and Related Readings in McDougal Littell's Literature Connections series.

Excerpt from Freedom's Children by Ellen Levine, © 1993
Summary: The Civil Rights era is brought to life through the stirring accounts of individuals who were involved in the movement as young people.

"Where the Rainbow Ends" by Richard Rive
(from Poems from Black Africa )
Summary: Written by a South African poet during apartheid, this poem expresses the hope that brotherhood can overcome racial separation.

"Those Who Don't" by Sandra Cisneros
(from The House on Mango Street, © 1984)
Summary: This essay looks at both sides of a fear that often results from segregation. No matter who you are, you feel at risk in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

"A Lesson for Kings" by Margaret Read MacDonald
(from Peace Talks: World Folktales to Talk About, © 1992)
Summary: When the two kings of this tale meet on a narrow road, the one who proves himself worthy to proceed is the one who shows his humility.

"Runner" by Dona Luongo Stein
(from Peeling the Onion: An Anthology of Poems, © 1993)
Summary: The act of running takes on a surreal quality in this poem.

"Final Curve" by Langston Hughes
(from Collected Poems, © 1994)
Summary: The speaker of this poem recognizes the difficulty of escaping the self.

"The Boy with Yellow Eyes" by Gloria Gonzalez
(from Visions, © 1987)
Summary: This short story details the unlikely pairing of two boys who catch a spy in their small town during World War II.

"Stormalong" by Mary Pope Osborne
(from American Tall Tales, © 1991)
Summary: In this version of the tall-tale hero's life, Stormalong is portrayed as someone who simply wants to fit in.