TheReadingWarehouse.com: Freak the Mighty: W. R. Philbrick

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Freak the Mighty Reprint Edition
Contributor(s): Philbrick, W. R.

ISBN: 0439286069 ISBN-13: 9780439286060
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks

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Binding Type: Paperback - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: June 2001
Annotation: MAX. FREAK. BEST FRIENDS. FOREVER.

"I never had a brain until Freak came along. . . ".

That's what Max thought. All his life he'd been called stupid. Dumb. Slow. It didn't help that his body seemed to be growing faster than his mind. It didn't help that people were afraid of him. So Max learned how to be alone At least until Freak came along.

Freak was weird, too. He had a little body -- and a really big brain. Together Max and Freak were unstoppable.

Together, they were Freak the Mighty.

Additional Information

Library of Congress Subjects:
- Learning disabilities; Fiction.
- Physically handicapped; Fiction.
- Friendship; Fiction.

BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Issues | Friendship

Dewey: [Fic]

LCCN: bl2001004707

Lexile Measure: 1000

Academic/Grade Level: Grade 4-6, Age 9-11

Book type: Juvenile Fiction

Physical Information: 7.75" H x 5.50" W x 0.50" (0.30 lbs) 169 pages

Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.

Publisher Description:
Two boys -- a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny Einstein in leg braces -- forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force. Made into the film, The Mighty.

Contributor Bio(s):

Rodman Philbrick's The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg was chosen as a Newbery Honor Book, and his novel Zane and the Hurricane has received numerous starred reviews and was honored on the 2015-2016 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. His first book for young readers, Freak the Mighty, was an immediate bestseller and continues to be a classic, with close to three million copies in print. Philbrick divides his time between Maine and Florida. Visit him at www.rodmanphilbrick.com.

Reviewed by Horn Book Guide Reviews (Horn Book Guide Reviews 2014 Spring)
Max is learning-disabled and unusually large for his age; brilliant Kevin's birth defect prevents him from growing. Together the two become "Freak the Mighty," pooling their brains and brawn to conquer their world. The harrowing events of Max's childhood are revealed gradually, as he is able to face them. This twentieth-anniversary edition includes excerpts from Philbrick's Listening to Kids in America.",,"Intermediate Fiction",,,,,,,,,,,107912,,,,

Reviewed by Horn Book Guide Reviews (Horn Book Guide Reviews 1994)
Maxwell Kane, who is learning disabled and unusually large for his age, shies away from others, but when a brilliant boy with a birth defect that has kept his body from growing to normal size moves in next door, the two become ""Freak the Mighty,"" pooling their brains and brawn to conquer their world. The harrowing events of Max's childhood are revealed gradually, as he is able to face them, thanks to the wisdom of his friend. A fascinating novel. Copyright 1998 Horn Book Guide Reviews

Reviewed by Publishers Weekly Reviews (PW Reviews 1993 October #4)
Maxwell Kane, a lumbering eighth grader who describes himself as a ``butthead goon,'' has lived with grandparents Grim and Gram ever since his father was imprisoned for murdering his mother. Mean-spirited schoolmates and special ed (for an undetermined learning disability) haven't improved his self-image, so he is totally unprepared for a friendship with Kevin, aka Freak, a veritable genius with a serious birth defect that's left him in braces and using crutches. Max is uplifted by Freak's imagination and booming confidence, while Freak gets a literal boost--hoisted onto Max's shoulders, he shares Max's mobility. Together they become Freak the Mighty, an invincible duo. Philbrick's first YA novel, already implausible, becomes choked with cliches and stereotypes as Max and Freak mix with B-movie lowlifes, a newly paroled Killer Kane kidnaps his son and Freak himself meets a cloyingly articulated fate. Contrived and unappetizing. Ages 10-14. (Oct.) Copyright 1993 Cahners Business Information.

Reviewed by School Library Journal Reviews (SLJ Reviews 1993 December)
Gr 6-9-A wonderful story of triumph over imperfection, shame, and loss. Large, awkward, learning-disabled Maxwell Kane, whose father is in prison for murdering his mother, and crippled, undersized Kevin are both mocked by their peers; the cruel taunting they endure is all too realistic and believable. The boys establish a friendship-and a partnership. Kevin defends them with his intelligence, while Max is his friend's ``legs,'' affording him a chance to participate in the larger world. Inspired by tales of King Arthur, they become knights fighting for good and true causes. But Kevin's illness progresses, and when he dies, Max is left with the memories of an extraordinary relationship and, perhaps, the insight to think positively about himself and his future. The author writes with empathy, honoring the possibilities of even peripheral characters; Kevin and Max are memorable and luminous. Many YA novels deal with the effects of a friend dying, but this one is somewhat different and very special.-Libby K. White, Schenectady County Public Library, NY Copyright 1993 Cahners Business Information.

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