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| Image credit: Indiana University South Bend |
How many of you read a book or watch a movie one time? If I really like a book or a movie, I will revisit it, sometimes over and over again. Today's choice is one I revisit often. While the book is slated for upper elementary and middle school students, I actually used it in my high school English class this year. The majority of the students enjoyed the story.
Today's book is Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick.
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| Image credit: Scholastic |
A Personal Connection
When I began my career in education, it was as a special education teacher. I taught students with physical and mental disabilities. While it was challenging, I loved going to my job every day. The two main characters in Freak the Mighty have disabilities. This is one reason I enjoyed the book, but not the major reason.
The Author
Rodman Philbrick wrote Freak the Mighty in 1993. He grew up in New Hampshire and has written young adult novels as well as books for adults. He writes under different names such as W. R. Philbrick and William R. Dantz. While has won several awards for different books, Freak the Mighty has won the most awards.
The Story
Max Kane lives with his grandparents and has always been called dumb. One day, new neighbors move in next door and he meets Kevin. Kevin has leg braces and uses crutches, which is why he is called Freak. Kevin is also obsessed with King Arthur and his knights.
The two are put together in school and become friends. They go on adventures and rescue damsels in distress. They both learn what it means to be friends and together become Freak the Mighty.
My Thoughts
I love books that promote strong friendships. This book is about a friendship that overlooks individual disabilities. The characters' connection combines the two into one, showing that sometimes when people work together, they can overcome anything. I will warn you, this book did make me cry. There is a sequel called Max the Mighty.
What I Like:
Humor
Friendship
Adventure
A bit of mystery and suspense
Recommended ages:
8 years and up - this book is a good read for any age
What's not to love about Freak the Mighty? I don't know how many times I have actually read the book. When I worked in an inclusionary classroom, we read this book fairly regularly. The students loved it. Almost as much as they loved The Outsiders.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever show the film? I used it this year to discuss film adaptation choices - the how and why certain decisions are made.
ReplyDeleteI love pulling books "up" that students may not have read before - especially when you have students in class who might identify with the story or who struggle with reading comprehension. I am definitely a "repeat" reader myself and find something new to love every time! I haven't tried "Freak the Mighty" with my kiddos, but will definitely check it out! If you haven't read "The Pull of Gravity" by Gae Polisner, it's a great one with similar themes and can also tie in really easily with "Of Mice and Men".
ReplyDelete