Author
Jerry Spinelli
2 books here
Maniac Magee
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 800L · 1990
A Newbery winner that actually deserves it—Spinelli builds a folkloric character and uses him to surgically examine segregation, homelessness, and belonging without preaching.
Wringer
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 720L · 2003
Spinelli treats childhood moral resistance seriously without preaching—a rare book that shows a kid learning to stand alone and live with the cost.