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Book cover of Freak the Mighty
Teen Fiction - Body, Mind & Health, Teen Fiction - Choices & Transitions, Teen Fiction - Romance & Friendship, Teen Fiction - Movies & TV, Books at the Movies

Freak the Mighty

by Eldon Henson
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Overview

Dumb, stupid, and slow. All Max's life, he'd been called these names, and it didn't help that people were afraid of him. So Max learned to be alone--at least until Freak came along. Together, they were Freak the Mighty. A major motion picture from Miramax Films starring Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, and Harry Dean Stanton. January 1998 publication date. Unabridged. 2 cassettes.

At the beginning of eighth grade, learning disabled Max and his new friend Freak, whose birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, find that when they combine forces they make a powerful team.

Synopsis

Meet Maxwell Kane, narrator of Freak the Mighty. He’s a timid soul stuck in the body of a teenage giant with size 14 shoes. Haunted by a dark secret in his past, he hides out in his basement room, avoiding the world. But when a new kid moves in next door Max’s life changes forever. The two outcasts form the ‘normal’ world team up to become “Freak the Mighty.”

Like knights of old they defend the weak, right every wrong–and solve the mystery of Max’s past. Proving once and for all that courage comes in all sizes.

Publishers Weekly

Two eighth-grade misfits-one physically impaired, the other with a learning disability-become fast friends in a story PW found ``choked with clichs and stereotypes.'' Ages 10-14. (May)

About the Author, Eldon Henson

Rodman Philbrick published more than fifteen adult mystery and suspense novels before writing Freak the Mighty. He and his wife, novelist Lynn Harnett, divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Two eighth-grade misfits-one physically impaired, the other with a learning disability-become fast friends in a story PW found ``choked with clichs and stereotypes.'' Ages 10-14. (May)

Children's Literature - Susie Wilde

Two other heroes become larger than life in Freak the Mighty when Max Kane, a boy of big stature and slow mind meets Kevin, a dwarf with genius ability. Max puts Kevin on his shoulders, and they become victorious against drug addicts, bullies and killers. They seem almost invincible until the book's end where the upbeat writing and unlikely heroism rescues the novel from sadness.

Children's Literature - Mary Quattlebaum

Big, dumb Max and little, brainy Freak become unlikely best friends in Rodman Philbrick's Freak the Mighty. Like knights in the Arthurian legends Freak loves, they battle bullies, including Max's felon father. When Freak's strange disease finally claims him, Max is able to say good-bye and continue with a new sense of his own worth, thanks to his friend. This powerful novel is the basis for the movie "The Mighty."

School Library Journal

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

Book Details

Published
March 1, 2008
Publisher
Random House Audio Publishing Group
Format
Compact Disc
ISBN
9780739363102

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