by Rodman Philbrick
****
FIC PHI
Maxwell Kane is thought of as stupid, freakishly large for his thirteen years, and the son of a killer. He has no friends, preferring to spend his life in his dark basement room, avoiding other kids, who think he is a bully. Then he meets Freak, an enormously smart kid with a birth defect that reduces him to the size of a toddler. After a close encounter with Tony D., the local juvenile delinquent, Freak and Max realize that together they can be unstoppable. Together they can be Freak the Mighty, and go on adventures, slaying dragons and rescuing people. But what happens when Freak's heart gets too big for his body? Will Max be able to go on?
I really liked that Freak helped Max learn that he had his own brain, and that he could live down his dad's reputation. I thought that it was really sad that Freak died, but I thought that it was really nice how brave he was, even though he knew that he would die young. I also enjoyed how Freak had tons of imagination, and how he combined fantasy with science to have one of a kind adventures with Max.
Reviewed by M. P., (8th gr.)
