Maniac Magee vs New Kid — which is harder to read?

Lexile data not available for one or both titles in this comparison. See each book's page (/book/maniac-magee and /book/new-kid) for grade-range + reading-level estimates from school assignments.

What grade level is Maniac Magee vs New Kid?

Maniac Magee: 4-7 grade range. New Kid: 4-8 grade range. Both assigned within the 3-5 band. Specific district and curriculum vary; see each book's page for the full assignment history.

Which is more commonly taught, Maniac Magee or New Kid?

Both Maniac Magee and New Kid are in the top-10 most-cited books on ReadingList.school across US school assignments and curricula. Each book's individual page (/book/maniac-magee, /book/new-kid) lists every tracked assignment with source citation, so you can see which has broader curriculum reach in your specific region.

Should I read Maniac Magee or New Kid first?

If they're in the same school year, follow the syllabus order (usually chronological by publication or grouped by theme). If reading independently: start with the shorter or lower-Lexile title to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.

Comparison

Maniac Magee vs New Kid

How Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli and New Kid by Jerry Craftcompare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.

Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli

Lexile: 820L
Grades: 4–7
Published: 1990
Pages: 184
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

New Kid

Jerry Craft

Grades: 4–8
Published: 2019
Pages: 256
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

At a glance

Grade-range overlap: Grades 4–7
Year-of-publication gap: 29 years (1990 vs 2019)
Page-count gap: 72 pages (184 vs 256)
Shared curricula: 24 of 123
Shared themes: 0 of 11

Themes

Only Maniac Magee

race · homelessness · family · legend and reality · prejudice

Only New Kid

race and identity · code-switching · middle school adjustment · graphic narrative · private vs public school · friendship

Get these books

Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli

Where to find this book

Buy on AmazonPrime · 1-click Listen free on Audible30-day trial

Audible: new members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership.

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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New Kid

Jerry Craft

Where to find this book

Buy on AmazonPrime · 1-click Listen free on Audible30-day trial

Audible: new members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership.

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

Maniac Magee vs New Kid

Maniac Magee

New Kid

At a glance

Curriculum overlap

Themes

Only Maniac Magee

Only New Kid

Get these books

Where to find this book

Where to find this book

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