Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.89 You Save: $4.10 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Freak The Mighty
Book Review: Freak the mighty
Summary: 5 Stars
"Maxi pad, Maxi pad, ask him quick about his dad." Let's just say that life for Maxwell Kane was not easy. He was taller than anyone his age, not to mention he was practically brainless, until, of course, Kevin (or Freak) came along. This book is a heartwarming tale of the hardships of growing up as an outcast and a friendship that will last a lifetime, even though that lifetime is considerably shorter than that of a normal person. When I read this book, I felt every feeling there is available to feel. I felt love, joy, fear, and even sadness at every turn of a page. The story of Freak the Mighty is an inspiration to all kids growing up, and adults, too, especially since the young boy, Freak, has Morquio Syndrome. He was my favorite character because no matter how badly things were going, how down his situation looked, he always looked up. Instead of sulking in his own tear- jerking story, he fell into storybooks and went on quests with his best friend, Max, past castles, through motes, to lands far, far away in his imagination. There isn't one thing I dislike about this book because if you take out even the smallest detail, it takes away a part of the book, without that part, it wouldn't be so extraordinary.
I would like to thank Rodman Philbrick, the author of Freak the Mighty, for writing such an amazing book. The story of Freak and Max will stay with me for the rest of my life. Everyone can relate in some way to a character in this book. To write a story like that, you've got to have something special in you, and that is something that I wish, everyone wishes, they could have. So, thank you, Rodman Philbrick.
When reading Freak the Mighty, I learned that the people we consider "different" are not so different. Freak and Max looked different than everyone, but they went through the same things we do and even more than that because their peers ridicule them for being who they are. I also learned that not all good books have happy endings. This book may not have had a fairy tale ending, but if it did, it wouldn't be stuck in my heart or my mind the way it is now. The ending was reality, plain and simple.
On a scale of one to ten, this book is definitely a nine or ten. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a book that won't let you put it down. Even if you're not a huge reader, you should read this book. It's an easy read and I swear you won't regret it, or forget it, for that matter. I would like for everyone to join me in reading other books by Rodman Philbrick. If they are as fantastic as Freak the Mighty, I solemnly swear that I will read every single one.
"Killer Kane, Killer Kane, had a kid who got no brain," and that's life for Maxwell Kane.
Book Review: Freak the Mighty
Summary: 5 Stars
Alex Borring
12/01/04
Freak the Mighty
By: Rodman Philbrick
ISBN # 0-439-28606-9
"I never had a brain until Freak came along...." The book is about a boy named Max Kane. There is a boy named Kevin whose nickname is "Freak". Freak has a disease that makes his body stay the same, but his brain still grows so Freak might not live for very long. Freak is very smart too. He has this dictionary that he reads constantly so he knows what every word means. Max lives with his "Grim and Gram", which are nicknames for his grandparents. His mom died when he was little. His dad is a murderer and his nickname is "Killer Kane." At first in the beginning of the book Freak tells Max that he is doing to die. So Max and Freak didn't get off to a great start. During the course of the book Max and Freak begin a friendship. They go on tons of adventures together. Then one day Freak asks Max if he can tell him a secret so Freak tells Max that he is going to get a new body, like a robot body. So the book goes on from there and there is a lot of suspense. The genre of the book is fiction. Also if you wanted to know it is called Freak The Mighty because when Max put Freak on his shoulders Freak called themselves Freak the Mighty
I liked this book because it left you in suspense all the time. It also teaches you not to judge a book by its cover. I would definitely recommend this book to kids of ages from 5th to 8th grade. People who would like this would be people who love suspense and very good books. This book was a page-turner because it tells you so much info at the end of the chapter so it makes you have to keep reading. It was hard to concentrate on other things in class because you keep reading and reading and reading. Mostly every chapter ended in a cliff-hanger like this one, "I run out in the street and start waving my arms and jumping up and down so they'll know where to stop, and I keep running back in the house to check on things, but the Fair Gwen says there's nothing we can do except wait." This is a really good book so I think that everyone should read this book if they get a chance.
Book Review: A Review
Summary: 5 Stars
" Run, run, run, into the H2O."" Huh?"
" Into the water dummy."
" I'm stuck, I'm also sinking."
" Their running. Here comes the cops."
" Good because I'm up to my knees."
" Thank you, sir."
The book, Freak the Mighty, is a good book of friendship and good family. I also think that Rodman Philbrick did a good job describing the characters.
Freak, Kevin, was made fun of a lot. At school he was stared at a lot. He was not mad or sad that the kids were staring at him because he was used to it. They were making fun of him because of his disability.
Max's grandparents are very nice. They took him in after his mom died. His grim and gram didn't like his dad and refer to him as "him"(you will find out why when you read this book).
Max's grandparents are also embarrassed because of his height and because he looks just like his father. That is way he has to live in the down under(the basement). His grim made the home down in the basement.
The part of the book that was unbelievable was what happened at the end. Our teacher was almost crying and he has read the book many times. If you like sad and funny books you should read this book.
I think the reason they named this book Freak the Mighty is because if you saw Kevin you would think he was a freak to. If you saw Max you would think he was mighty too. At school you can not separate them and Kevin makes up Freak the Mighty.
Max is a very good friend to Kevin. Max even carried Kevin every where they went and they went a lot of places. Max would get tired but he never gave up. After have a great friend like Kevin Max should have not had to go though with that, but Kevin know it would happen someday. Just because of Kevin's disabled he was stared at a lot, but most of the time he was smarter than the rest. Max calls his grandparents grim and gram, are very nice for taking in Max. Max's grandparents don't like his dad. Max and Kevin are very good friends and Max should have not had to go though that.
Book Review: Appealing to Young and Adult Readers Alike
Summary: 5 Stars
Rodman Philbrick's ability to write interesting literature that appeals to young readers (especially teens) comes in handy with "Freak the Mighty." This rather poignant and affecting novel follows the unlikely "Odd Couple"-like friendship between Max--who lives with his grandparents, and is an enourmous eighth grader on the slow side, yet has plenty of common sense, surrounded by his father's reputation as a convicted killer--and Kevin, dubbed "Freak"--a 13 year old genius plagued with a birth defect that keeps him the size of a six year old. Aside from being physically contradictory, Kevin's book smarts and well-read brilliancy seem the exact opposite of Max's poor grammar and lack of motivation. But almost phenomically, in a karma-like manner, the two become instant companions.
Their "quests" in the "yonder" of the nighborhoods reveal some rather interesting characters. Speaking of which, Philbrick explores the qualities our narrator Max, and his buddy Kevin, without missing a detail.
Being thirteen when I read this book, my thoughts allthroughout reading "Freak the Mighty" were, "How can some old guy know how WE talk, how WE think?" I was shocked at myself for crying when I had finished the final chapter.
Together, Max and Kevin become "Freak the Mighty" with their un-cliched friendship and dependance upon one another.
Philbrick's novel is wonderfully humanistic; there's just something so reassuring in the human race about the thought of the giant Max walking with the enthusiastic three-and-a-half foot Kevin hoisted onto his shoulders.
Young readers will fall in love with "Freak the Mighty" for its realistic portrayal of a teenager, while adults will undoubtedly savor its humane touch.
Book Review: A Modern Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
There are not many novels that can be done as a novel study for a squirmy, ADD class of preteens. Not many books will hold their attention from page 1 to the end. Very few novels will have a class on the edge of their seats, and even fewer will be able to offer students from all socioeconomic levels some character with which they can identify.
Freak the Mighty is one of those very few.
This novel was introduced to me by a mentor teacher on my campus. This dear lady is an unsung hero and a second mother to me. Even though I adore her, I was skeptical as to whether or not this book was really as good for the kids as she claimed. I didn't give her enough credit.
Freak and Max are best friends who are total opposites: Freak is smart, Max isn't; Freak is small, Max is huge. They are both societal outcasts. They both have secrets. Their struggles and their friendship appeal to almost every kind of student. This novel is perfect for reluctant readers, and perfect for classroom discussion. Really, it is at its best when used in the classroom (it is mentioned in Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition (Read-Aloud Handbook)).
What is so genius about this work is that Philbrick writes it in Max's ego-centric voice, so students can easily identify with it, but Philbrick uses the experiences of Freak the Mighty to refocus that ego-centrism into broadening the reader's frame of reference without the reader knowing it. The novel is simply beautiful: a fast-paced, well-knit read that belongs (and already is) in the modern cannon of literature. Highly, highly recommended.