by Ryan Leahy
Freak the Mighty
by Rodman Philbrick
Rating: 5
This book is the epitome of the bond between friends. It speaks of a boy named Max who has been called dumb throughout his life and does not live up to his full potential. His life is made even worse because of his well-known past. When he was just a baby, his father murdered his mother and was sentenced to life in prison. The town knows Max’s father as “Mad Max,” and it makes him feel like an outcast. Everything changes in Max’s life when a child that was really short and used crutches moved down the street. His name is Freak, and he doesn’t let his disease stop him. While Max is large and not that smart, Freak is intelligent and small. They immediately become friends and each other’s better half. Freak shows Max how smart he is, and Max shows Freak how to have fun. Together, they are “Freak the Mighty” and are able to take on adventures. The biggest adventure happens when Max’s father pays Max a visit.
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was a very inspirational story of friendship and overcoming adversity in school and throughout life. Both of them were outsiders, but Freak is the yin to the Max’s yang. The characters of Freak and Max are unique, and it is very easy to connect with their friendship. For most people, they are labeled and it sticks with them forever, but with Max, he was able to break out of it with help from Freak. I believe most people can connect with how he was feeling. Overall, this book really spoke to me and showed what true friends are like.
I would recommend this book to anyone. It had a fantastic story that everyone will enjoy. It is made for younger ages, but I feel that older ages would feel its power as well.
