Freak the Mighty (1993)

This book is a great book for middle school students and I have used it used in my classroom to teach many issues such as: friendship, bullying, and confidence. The plot keeps their attention and there are many good activities to keep them engaged. ( )

A great friendship book, everyone should read it! ( )

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Orig. publ. as Freak the mighty. Film tie-in edition. ( )

This book is another that stands alone, simply because of its sheer emotional power, and the impression it leaves you with long after you finish.

Max is different...his body is far too large, while his brain just can't seem to keep up. Both his mother and his father are problematic drinkers, and they don't understand him.

Then Max meets Kevin, a.k.a Freak, a scrawny boy in a body brace with a brain that would rival Einstein's and a mother as kind as she is beautiful.

Suddenly, Max and Freak have found a way to be friends. Alone, they're both outcasts, each lacking something. Together, they will become Freak the Mighty, two boys ready to face the world with all the courage, chivalry, and determination of the knights of old.

An incredibly moving story of two boys struggling with the handicaps life has left them with, and finding that the only way to overcome them is to tie your life to someone else's.

Note: The movie of this book was also very good, deviating a little but still capturing the raw emotional power. ( )