Freak the Mighty An Introduction

Summary “I never had a brain until Freak came along. . . .” That’s what Max thought. All his life he’d been called stupid. Dumb. Slow. It didn’t help that his body seemed to be growing faster than his mind. It didn’t help that people were afraid of him. So Max learned how to be alone. At least until Freak came along.

Main Characters Kevin—a very smart boy with a growth condition; one half of Freak the Mighty. Maxwell Kane/Kicker—a large boy being raised by his grandparents after his mother’s death and father’s imprisonment; the other half of Freak the Mighty. Gram—Max’s grandmother. Grim—Max’s grandfather. Gwen/Fair Gwen—Kevin’s mother. http://www.enotes.com/topics/freak-mighty/characters

Morquio Syndrome—Bella’s Story This is the disease Freak has in the novel. A rare form of dwarfism that leads to shortened stature, abnormal bone development, etc. It can have serious medical consequences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjFm8l29d6k

Learning Disabilities Maxwell Kane has a learning disability in the novel. Many people have what is known as a learning disability. This has to do with how the brain takes in and processes information. Having a learning disability does NOT mean you are slow or dumb. It just means that person learns differently.

Learning Disabilities For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence — after all, successful people such as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities. There are many kinds of learning disabilities. Most students affected by them have more than one kind. Certain kinds of learning disabilities can interfere with a person's ability to concentrate or focus and can cause someone's mind to wander too much. Other learning disabilities can make it difficult for a student to read, write, spell, or solve math problems. http://kidshealth.org

Discussion: What is a Hero?

Video: What is a Hero? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgF1Enrgo2g

Other Facts Author: Rodman Philbrick Setting: New Hampshire The sequel to the novel is Max the Mighty Freak the Mighty has been made into a movie entitled The Mighty