Maxwell Kane, who is learning disabled and unusually large for his age, shies away from others, but when a brilliant boy with a birth defect that has kept his body from growing to normal size moves in next door, the two become 'Freak the Mighty,' pooling their brains and brawn to conquer their world. The harrowing events of Max's childhood are revealed gradually, as he is able to face them, thanks to the wisdom of his friend. A fascinating novel.

Maxwell Kane, a lumbering eighth grader who describes himself as a ``butthead goon,'' has lived with grandparents Grim and Gram ever since his father was imprisoned for murdering his mother. Mean-spirited schoolmates and special ed (for an undetermined learning disability) haven't improved his self-image, so he is totally unprepared for a friendship with Kevin, aka Freak, a veritable genius with a serious birth defect that's left him in braces and using crutches. Max is uplifted by Freak's imagination and booming confidence, while Freak gets a literal boost--hoisted onto Max's shoulders, he shares Max's mobility. Together they become Freak the Mighty, an invincible duo. Philbrick's first YA novel, already implausible, becomes choked with cliches and stereotypes as Max and Freak mix with B-movie lowlifes, a newly paroled Killer Kane kidnaps his son and Freak himself meets a cloyingly articulated fate. Contrived and unappetizing. Ages 10-14. (Oct.)

Whether he's called Mad Max, that retard, or the son of Killer Kane, Maxwell Kane has never been free of his father's reputation. If that's not bad enough, he's also inherited his father's looks and build. For an eighth-grader, Max is big, which makes him feel even worse--enormous as well as dumb and tainted. Things begin to change for Max, however, when Kevin, born with a birth defect that's stunted his growth, moves in down the street. The boys become friends. With Kevin, who's brilliant, providing the brains and imagination and Max providing the locomotion, the boys unite to become Freak the Mighty and venture out on quests around the neighborhood. It's on one of these outings that they meet Loretta and the menacing Iggy, who knows Max's father. What happens next is a shock: the poignant story about friendship and identity turns chilling and then horrifying when Killer Kane comes back and kidnaps his son. It's only after the suspense dies down that we think about the implausibility of what's gone on, and by that time, Philbrick's already moved on to Kevin's inevitable death and Max's breakdown. Yet, if events don't always ring true, there's honest affection in the boys' friendship--Kevin is clever, brave, and a good teacher for Max, who gains from the friendship an identity apart from his father for the very first time. Told by Max in retrospect, the story is both riveting and poignant, with solid characters, brisk pacing, and even a little humor to carry us along. (Reviewed Dec. 15, 1993)

Gr 6-9-A wonderful story of triumph over imperfection, shame, and loss. Large, awkward, learning-disabled Maxwell Kane, whose father is in prison for murdering his mother, and crippled, undersized Kevin are both mocked by their peers; the cruel taunting they endure is all too realistic and believable. The boys establish a friendship-and a partnership. Kevin defends them with his intelligence, while Max is his friend's ``legs,'' affording him a chance to participate in the larger world. Inspired by tales of King Arthur, they become knights fighting for good and true causes. But Kevin's illness progresses, and when he dies, Max is left with the memories of an extraordinary relationship and, perhaps, the insight to think positively about himself and his future. The author writes with empathy, honoring the possibilities of even peripheral characters; Kevin and Max are memorable and luminous. Many YA novels deal with the effects of a friend dying, but this one is somewhat different and very special.-Libby K. White, Schenectady County Public Library, NY

The unvanquished truth'' concerning the extraordinary friendship between Kevin (Freak''), a brilliant 12-year-old whose birth defect prevents growth, and gigantic Max, who recognizes in his new two-foot-tall neighbor the feisty kid with crutches he knew in daycare years ago. Meanwhile, Max has his own troubles; he can barely read, making school an ordeal, and since his dad's in jail for killing his mother, he lives with gentle Gram and the aptly named Grim in a fairly rough neighborhood. As ``Freak the Mighty''—as they call themselves when Freak perches on Max's shoulders, guiding him like a horse and issuing instructions—the two have much to give each other. With Freak's quick wits and Max's long legs, they explore the neighborhood and best a gang of bullies on July 4. Freak, with his vast vocabulary and imagination to match, is uncondescending but uncompromising. He gets Max involved in his elaborate fantasy games and lures him into reading; when school starts, Max (somewhat implausibly) is placed in the gifted class to help his friend. When Max's father gets out on parole at Christmas, a mesmerizingly suspenseful sequence echoing the earlier rout of the bullies ensues. Max's description of their friendship—ostensibly written, after Freak's death, in the blank book Freak had given him—is gritty, unsentimental, sparked with Freak's wry verbal wit and Max's earthier humor, and ultimately poignant. Easily read but compelling: an intriguing and unusual story. (Fiction. 10-14)"