Genre: Realistic Fiction (Fiction)

Fountas and Pinnell Reading Level: W

Summary: This book tells the story of Max and Freak who, together, become "Freak the Mighty." Freak, whose real name is Kevin, is small for his age. He has a genetic condition that prevents his body from growing normally. Even though his body is small, Freak has an enormous brain and an enormous imagination. Max, on the other hand, is plenty big for his age, but usually feels pretty stupid. This unusual duo faces teenage thugs, members of a motorcycle gang and Max's father in a series of events that will make you laugh and cry.

Why I Liked/Disliked the Book: Max, who narrates the story, has a learning disability and talks openly about how he struggles with it. Yet, he is the one writing the story. Freak, who is unbelievably smart, is also feisty and brave. He is not afraid of his fate and he has wisdom beyond his years. These two characters are so deep and engaging they demand that you read on.

What This Book Made Me Think About: How teachers affect students' attitudes towards learning. How experiences are so important to learning. How friendship can change lives.

I wish... (spoiler alert!!!) Kevin didn't have to die at the end. I also wish that the other characters (the "bad guys") weren't so flat (although some of them do change, we don't really get to understand why they do).

Last month during our school's Family Math Night, I had the opportunity to catch up with former students who are now sixth graders in middle school. Of course I had to ask them about what they were reading in their English classes, and was a little concerned when they said, "Freak the Mighty." Yeah, that sounds like a real winner.

Freak the Mighty is told through the eyes of Max, an ever-growing boy, placed in LD classes in school, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his criminal father. The summer before his eighth grade year he befriends Kevin, a super-smart boy suffering from a rare genetic disease, making mobility difficult and stunting his growth. Max becomes Kevin's tool for mobility, while Kevin slowly builds Max's confidence in school and in life. Together, the boys form Freak the Mighty, searching out adventure in their small town and helping each other through the difficulties in their lives.

This book is amazing for the middle school age bracket, with it's themes of self esteem, belonging, loyalty...regardless of a child's background they will find something with which they can identify in the struggles of Max and Kevin in this book.

In class we read a book called freak the migthy written by rodman phillbrick this book is based on a true friendship gives a lesson to many teenagers it does not matter who you are the one thing that matters is what you have inside.The one thing to be able to have friends is to show them who you really are dont change just because you want to have friends people will like you or dislike you just the way you are,but try to show them that you are reaally a good person in the inside or in the outside.The boy of this book named Max was tall and strong and many boys teased him about the fact that he didnt look like hes age and they also teased him about his father been a bad person and to be in jail.
If you had a friend like that wouldd you do to help them? would you tease him because he is tall and hes father is a killer? or would you try to help him with his problems and be there whenever he needs a friend that he can count on. What this book made me realize and also opened my heart and made me think that it does not matter if your friends are ugly fat tall or anything like that has to do with that. all it matters that there are your true friends a friendship between and boy that has only has hes mother and he is a cripple and a boy that has no one except his grandparents. wen you have friends and you are a teenager you always say the same thing it doesnt matter if you are special or if you guys been friends since second grade there always something in the future that is going to seperate you and your friend's friend ship.I recomend this book that people to read because it shows what a fantasy kevin and max leave together and how max decised to make his own story about every chapter that has happened to him in his life.
If you are reading this what i wrote about this wonderful story you will know why this book opened my eyes to many things and made me relize alot about how rigth now i am a teeenager and i have alot to learn for the future and that sometimes everyone needs help and thats why sometimes you need friends not just your sister and brother or someone close to you. You also need another person who'm you can trust. how all this wonderful story started at the begining was that blade D teased max ,but one day wen freak and max were together that day freak confronted blade since that day max and freak noticed that freak had the brain and max the body. At the end many heart get hurt and many people.This book has been the best book i have accitely have paid attention too and also made me drop tears at the end of this wondeful book.

I enjoyed this dark but mostly bright story.

Freak the Mighty was about a boy named kevin (FREAK),who was a midjet with disabilties but dosent let that slow him down. MAX (MIGHTY)is a giant kid who is not the brightest,Kevin amd Max meet when they were in preschool,and havent seen each other sence .Then when they were in the eighth grade kevin moved down the street from max ,after awhile they started to remember each other ,they became the best of friends, the two of them together became Freak the Mighty.this book has brought me a lot of emotions but I really enjoyed it and I know you will too.

Die erste Leserunde mit meinem Sohn.
Er musste das Buch für die Schule lesen.
Ich finde es zwar nicht mehr so zeitgemäß, da man merkt, dass die Geschichte in den 90 ern spielt. Witzig, als mein Sohn mich fragte, was ein Walkman sei. Das Erlebnis des gemeinsamen Lesens hat aber überwogen. Und dazu gab es eine nette Story über eine etwas ungleiche Freundschaft, Mut und Verlust, gepaart mit Spannung.

I remember this being a big YA title in the 1990s, but I can't recall if I read it then or not. By turns unique, funny, sweet, and sad, I can see why this book captured so many imaginations.
Some of the aesthetics are very of its era, but I don't think a modern young reader would struggle to engage with this story.

My class and I just finished the amazing Freak the mighty writin by Rodman Philbrick. Max was a kid who didn't really have any friends, but when freak came along Max opened up to the world. Freak also had a friend finally after along time of being picked on. Max changed a lot throughout the book because he opened up to everyone and he actually had friend to help him through everything and he also did a lot better in school. Don't judge a person just because they have a disability or they're different or are smaller and smarter. This book was amazing it was a cliff hanger at the end of chapters and was exciting in the middle of the chapters. When Kevin became friends with freak that was the best part about the whole book because he didn't judge him and he treated him like a normal person. Freak didn't judge Max either max thought he was stupid but freak thought different about Max.

Short, sweet and heartbreaking.

I can't believe it took me this long to read this little title. It's excellent! Themes about friendship, family, bullies, physical health challenges, education, . . . full of middle school issues. This book will appeal to all levels of readers and students, and its short length won't intimidate slow or reluctant readers. Meaningful life lessons told in a fun, memorable book where life's not perfect and unlikely friends tackle it together

Hm.
I’m going to be honest here, I did not think I was going to like this book. At all.
However, as you can see, I DID love it! :)
The characters are great, truly great, and they seem... real. There was definitely a lot of care in them.
The story kept itself afloat with plot twists and turns, though it was on the shorter side.
It was also an emotional roller ride, as you’ll see if you read the book, but I just loved it.
So, if you don’t think you’ll like it, give it a try! This was such a fabulous read...
Yay!

I have a lot of problems with this entire book, but the friendship was sweet enough for what should've been a middle grade read.

This was the first book I read for high school English. And like I said. Problems. Lots of problems. *Quotes Hamilton* This should be fun.

I'm sorry, this'll have spoilers, but at this point I need to rant:

Problem 1
The Characters:
Max: he spends way to much time walking for a 13 yr old. Just me?!
Kevin: I mean, he's fine. Like I felt sorry for him, but...
Gwen: is the only character I don't have a problem with. I even wrote a "why I admired this character" essay on her
"Killer" Kane: is a pyschopath who probably shouldn't have been in a book aimed supposedly at a middle grade reader

Problem 2
All the kids supposedly spend thier entire lives trying to make Max's life torture, bullying him about his learning disabilities (which I'll get to later) and his dad. Literally no one is that cruel. If you know something awful about someones family, you don't bully them, and make their lives hell

Killer Kane, Killer Kane, got a son who has no brain

Problem 3
When Max was three or four he saw, or possibly heard, his mum strangled to death by his dad. Obvioulsy his dad is imprisoned for it, and subsequently let out during the book, which he immediately breaks patrol and a restraining order, kidnapping Max from his house. Kevin (a kid on crutches, let me remind you) sneaks out of his house, saves Max, and Killer Kane is back in jail for life. For starters, this is jolty. There were maybe two mentions of his dad before this. Then the fact that it's wrapped up in time for a sweetly wrapped up ending. But wait. 20 pages left and... I'll talk yell about it later

Problem 4
Max clearly has a learning disablity, but the school doesn't make special modifications to the way his teachers, well teach him. No they berate him, and yell, and make him feel stupid like a goon (Because that's how they talk) There is a quote in this book that I can't seem to find, but basically the teacher (supposedly nice) says something along the lines of "we had you tested for dyslexia, but you didn't have it, so it was obvious that you were just stupid, but it's good Kevin has helped you be smart" What kind of school is this??!

Problem 5
Either, they talk like 8 years olds, using words like "goon" or they talk like an adult a wikipedia page. Not even adults talk like that!

Problem 6
Kevin's death isn't even that sad!! I'm sorry There's no emotionaly buildup, (a sentence I've been using a lot ) and the thing that usually brings me to tears is a characters thoughts and feelings over "what if I lose them?" There's none of that.

Problem 7
Max is so self absorbed. Not going to his friends funeral?? Not even realizing when said friends Mum moves away?? I was trying to be sympathetic, but I've just giving up.

Problem 8
Predictability. Need I say anything more?

Wrap Up

I've asked around in my class, and they either think the book is sad, and good, or bad, and still sad. Guess where I am. Neither. I'm literally the one person who reads. (I mean half the class didn't even read it!) and my opinion isn't even valid. (that's not true, my friend in class has heard me rant about this book many times, while still being uninterested)