Freak the Mighty (Scholastic Gold)

Freak the Mighty is a book written in first person by a boy in eighth grade, Max, who has a learning disability. The book is unclear what his specific disability is, however it is clear that he struggles with reading and he has attended the "LD class" for many years. There is a boy across the street that just moved in named Kevin that has a physical disability, but he is very intelligent. He is the same age that Max is. These two boys become great friends, and together they call themselves "Freak the Mighty." Throughout the book the boys help each other with their disabilities and they help each other through many different struggles. Max puts Kevin on his shoulders a lot so that he can see and get from place to place. Kevin helps Max with his school work, and Max is eventually put into the regular education class full time. "Freak the Mighty" have a lot of exciting adventures together, and they help each other through many struggles. This book does a great job of explaining the challenges that students with disabilities can face. The students are put down and called names in this book by people in society and in school because of their disabilities. This is something that many students with disabilities do face. It is written from the point of view of Max, and it shows that he knows and understands a lot more than people give him credit for, even though he can't read very well. Even though this book shows how the students are put down, it does a great job of showing that this is wrong. I think this is a book that many students, those with disabilities as well as those without disabilities, can relate to. I feel that this book can be used in my classroom in a couple of different ways. I am a seventh grade learning support teacher. I think that this would be a great read-aloud book to use in my classroom as well as a great book for students to read. It is a very exciting and entertaining book that is hard to put down. I think the students would love to hear this book. The book is written in first person. It is an entertaining book to read. After the students have read or heard the book, I would then have the students compare their experiences in school to the characters' experiences in school. The boys in this book have a very exciting eighth grade year. It also shows how many students with reading disabilities and physical disabilities can be put down. I don't necessarily agree with how these students are treated in the book however I feel it does a great job of showing how disrespectful that can be. We can then have a discussion of what we can do as a school to make the environment better for all students.

A Review of Freak the Mighty Philbrick, Rodman. (1993). Freak the Mighty. New York: Scholastic ISBN-13:978-0-439-28606-0 ISBN-10:0-439-28606-9 Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Realistic Fiction Social Issues and Themes: Bullying, Death, Grief, Living with Illness and Disabilities, Self Esteem, Friendship, Behavior and Learning Disorders The summer before eighth grade Max and Kevin form a friendship that causes both boys to step outside of their comfort zones. Max, a larger boy has learning difficulties. In addition, he comes from a nontraditional violent family that causes him to have low self-esteem and resort to fighting often. While Kevin, a small boy who has Morquio Syndrome has a vivid imagination and is extremely bright. As a result of Kevin’s syndrome he walks with crutches and has braces on his legs. Max first sees Kevin, while Kevin was outside playing with his robot bird. The bird gets stuck in a tree and Max helps Kevin recover the bird. As a result of helping Kevin recover the bird, they attend the Fourth of July firework celebration together. On this day they encounter their first adventure escaping bullies who want to terrorize Max. The boys were able to escape danger due to Kevin’s quick thinking and him helping Max to navigate the situation. At the Fourth of July celebration Max takes Kevin and places him on his shoulders so he is able to see the fireworks. This signifies that together the boys are capable of defending themselves from the ills that society inflicts on them. With school starting, the boys are in the same class. Kevin encourages Max to become a better reader and helps him throughout the process. In return, Max is able to help transport Kevin on adventures and missions around the neighborhood that he physically would not be able to do independently. Together the boys find peace in their hectic situations. The boys finding support in each other is a great connection and thinking piece for boys diagnosed with emotional disturbance. In the classroom, critical conversations could be about Kevin’s physical disorder, Max’s father being in prison, and how it feels to experience death of a friend or loved one. Teaching in an urban setting, students will have connections, thoughts, and stances in regards to the themes in Freak the Mighty. In the end, Kevin dies. This causes Max to enter a deep depression and become very angry. However, Max is able to recall the adventures that the boys went on together and thus Freak the Mighty is formed. This book encourages discussion of broken families, odd friendships, learning disabilities, and adolescent death. The entire books focus is on two boys who find friendship due to having disabilities –this could be challenging because it may suggest that people with disabilities have trouble finding friends. This is a review of a book from the Larissa Gerstel Collection at American University.

Good for Kids Interesting story

“Freak is holding tight to my shoulders and when they ask him for his name, he says, ‘We’re Freak the Mighty, that’s who we are. We’re nine feet tall, in case you haven’t noticed.’ That’s how it started, really, how we got to be Freak the Mighty, slaying dragons and fools and walking high above the world.” Freak the Mighty is a brilliantly written fiction novel by Rodman Philbrick. A strangely lighthearted read, it is directed towards sixth graders and up; Freak the Mighty is a quick and easy read that you will simply fall in love with. Maxwell is an oversized eighth grader with a small brain and a big heart. Frequently bullied in school, he’s never had much to say until Freak comes along. Kevin, nicknamed “Freak”, is a shrunken boy with a big brain; he practically knows everything. Fate brings the two opposites together. Watch as this ironically dynamic duo is left to deal with dragon slaying, bullies, and a devastatingly difficult past… a past that won’t stop returning. Max and Freak are both intriguingly detailed characters; both are filled with a swarm of thoughts and daydreams, not to mention a complicated past. Rodman Philbrick portrayed the characters in such a graceful way that will have you shoving strangers out of the way to race home and rip open the book. You will immediately connect with the painfully realistic protagonists, learning and laughing and crying with them, sharing their adventures. Drawn together by fate or coincidence, their friendship was not an accident. Several messages can be drawn from this story. One of the ones that stuck out to me was this: no matter how different you are, there will always be someone else out there that can relate. I find comfort in this, knowing that I am not alone. Keep your head up, keep pushing through, and someone will eventually come along the lonely road to accompany you. Freak the Mighty is set in the past; Maxwell recalls the adventures and describes his story in great detail, as if he is telling it to an old friend. The author captivates the reader by including several details, making it feel as if they are actually there, conquering the world with Freak and Max. Readers will find themselves eager to delve into the crazy world of Kevin and Max; this story is simplistically beautiful as it easily attracts readers by the strange friendship of Freak the Mighty. Rodman Philbrick most definitely achieved his goal: to teach kids that not everyone has to be alike to be friends. Balancing and supporting each other, picking up for the things the other person lacks, that’s what true friendship is. A real tear-jerker, I feel that Freak the Mighty was a rollercoaster of emotions, but in the end, the story was elegantly complete. Readers of all ages will simply fall in love as they experience this delicately emotional story.

Good, quality book. Bought for son’s school reading. Worked well and worth money!

Heartbreaking, beautiful story that showcases the importance of enjoying the experiences that make up your life, no matter how different your experiences may look to others. 10/10 I cry every time

This book is phenomenal! I first read it when I was helping my then 7th grade daughter do a book report on it. I immediately became engulfed in the deep relationship formed between the two main characters in the book. I literally did not want to put the book down. I think I finished it in a day. It was very thought provoking and deep, especially for a young adult’s book. Over the years, we have lent it out, and bought it again a few times for both of my kids to do reports on, because it is a family favorite. Basically the gist of the story is that one kid is small and not physically able to do much, but he is mentally smart and able to think fast. The other kid who becomes his best friend, is big and strong, but not the brightest. So, the must work together to accomplish the tasks that the want to do! And together they are mighty! The moral of the story is very heart warming, together you can do more than you can alone, and each person is unique, so did your attributes and use them properly. This book holds a special place in my heart, and on my bookshelf! I highly recommend this book for people ages 11-111.

I ordered this book for my son, they were reading it in school. The first time I ordered it, with an estimated delivery date of about 3 days, they changed it and couldn't give me a delivery date, as if they'd lost it (very vague delivery status update). So I cancelled that order, and re-ordered, and got that one in time. The teachers love this book. My son who's 12 enjoyed it, too.