“Killer Kane, Killer Kane, Had a kid who got no brain. . . “ This is what the kids at Max’s school see him as. In “Freak the Mighty,” by Rodman Philbrick, Max, a tall and hulking sixth grader, has to put up with special classes, repetitive grades, along with new clothes and shoes every week. Until, Freak (Kevin) comes along. Freak, unlike Max, is intelligent and creative, but has a growth disorder that prevents him from heightening at a proper rate. When they both go to a fireworks show, an unlikely alliance is formed when faced with a common enemy, the world. As Max and Freak embark on a perilous sequence of journeys, all the way up to the shady neighborhood called “The Testaments,”  Max and Freak adopt a new identity, “Freak the Mighty.”

I read this book on a reading assignment for one of my classes, and, surprisingly, I did not find this book to my liking. The style the author uses includes lots of slang terms and is in first person. To me, this book was an easy read, and was not very challenging. If you choose to read this book as an out of school read, you may find it enjoyable. However, if you do not like realistic fiction, this book may not appeal to you as much.

In terms of presentation, this book displays it’s story on the cover excellently, and the material of the actual cover has a satisfyingly glossy sheen. On the “Looks Scale,” I would probably rate this book a five or four point five. Overall, because of its lack of sophistication in the story but detail o the over and appearance, I would rate this book at a five. Your rating may differ, as I found that some of my peers who had also read this book found it to be very well written.