Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language:   “Hell” is used a couple of times.  A reference was made to “OMG”.  It is mentioned that a few people were cussing.  Some crude or belittling words were used such as, butthead, maxi pad, freak, doofus, moron, bone head, fart, geezers, goon, retard, pinhead, dummy and dumb.

Violence:  Young children kick other children in a daycare setting.  Max and Kevin are chased by some boys with a knife.  Rocks are thrown at them.  A man has killed a woman by squeezing her neck. It was witnessed by a child.  He does the same to another woman.  Max is also “squeezed by the neck”.  Max is gagged and tied up with ropes.  Kevin sprays a burning substance in a man’s eyes.

Adult Themes:  A young boy has a disease that causes him to have a small body (midget).  Max feels he has no brain.  It was assumed that he has some learning difficulties.  A reference is made to drugs and to a “dope” (drug user) who had lived across the street.  Max’s father is in prison for murder.  There are a few instances where it is mentioned that someone is drinking or got drunk.  A boy went to “juvy court” for cutting a guy with a razor.  A stolen purse is found.  A woman smokes cigarettes.  Max has a difficult time emotionally when his father is mentioned.  There is an argument over whether or not to have a gun in the house.  Max is kidnapped and is fearful.  They break into a house.  Max worries that he will grow up like his father.  Someone dies.

Synopsis

Max (Mighty) believed that everyone saw him as a boy with a big body and no brain.  People around him seemed to be afraid of him as well because he was the son of Kenny (Killer) Kane.  Then one day he met a kid named Kevin (Freak) who had a little body and big brain.  Together they could do anything as they sought out one adventure after another.  Together they were Freak the Mighty!

This book is being read in my son’s Language Arts class so it gave me the perfect opportunity to read with him.  I have to say that it made me cry, but even so, it was a great story.  Every once in a while I was reminded of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.  We all have challenges and difficulties and even triumphs, but the memories created stay with us and shape who we become.  Max and Kevin were both mighty in their own ways.   I loved the way Kevin had Max look up things in the dictionary.  He even gave Max a dictionary with his own unique and sometimes funny definitions!  Max gave his absolute devotion to Kevin, and Kevin’s enthusiasm towards life was inspiring.  A quote I liked was, “Sure it will hurt.  But so what?  Pain is just a state of mind.  You can think your way out of anything, even pain.” – Kevin (Freak).  This book is recommended for 6th grade and up.