Freak the Mighty

Rodman Philbrick (author)

Scholastic, US: 1993; 169pp

ISBN: 0439286069 11+

Genres: realistic fiction

Issues: abusive relationships, death, family, friendship, giftedness, grief, identity, illness, self-esteem

Note: complex concepts & relationships

A moving, inspirational story about choices, attitudes and the power of loving relationships.

"I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while, and that's the truth, the whole truth. The unvanquished truth is how Freak would say it."
Kevin, alias Freak, is a medical curiosity. His external body doesn't grow but his insides do, with, in the end, tragic results. Exceptionally intelligent, he forms an unlikely (to other people) friendship with his supersize neighbour, Max.

Both outcasts, Kevin for his small size and big brain, Max for his large size and jailbird father - together they are ‘Freak the Mighty'. Kevin teaches Max that the world is an amazingly interesting place and that size - large or small - isn't nearly as important as imagination, friendship and family.

This is, in many ways, a distressing story. Max is a very unhappy boy, Kevin a very sick one, and both have very real terrors that haunt them. Despite the unwelcome and violent return of Max's murderous father, good does prevail (with a bit of help from Sir Kevin the great-hearted) and Max finds that he doesn't have to be his father's son.

A moving, inspirational story about choices, attitudes and the power of loving relationships, this is a powerful book that would make an excellent shared read for an adult and a special child.

Warning: violence of adult to child, adult to adult; death of a main character (due to natural causes)