Freak the Mighty
At the beginning of eighth grade, learning disabled Max and his new friend Freak with a leg disability because his, birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, When the two meet they become close friends and they figure out that when they are combined they create a powerful force and team
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Maxwell, large for his age and labeled slow, becomes friends with Kevin, a brilliant boy with a body that does not work right. Kevin rides on Max's shoulders and together they call themselves Freak the Mighty.
Freak the Mighty is middle grade, recommended for readers 10 to 14. It is widely taught in middle school for its themes of friendship, disability, and self-acceptance.
Freak the Mighty is fictional but Rodman Philbrick has said the character of Freak was inspired by a real boy his stepson knew, who had Morquio syndrome. The friendship and core dynamic draw on observation rather than autobiography.
Freak the Mighty was written by Rodman Philbrick, published in 2014 by Scholastic Paperbacks.
Freak the Mighty is 119 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Freak the Mighty takes most readers 2 to 3 hours to finish.
Freak the Mighty is a standalone novel by Rodman Philbrick, not part of a series.
Freak the Mighty is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
