Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick

Maxwell Kane is an eighth grader with zero self-confidence, no mother, and a father in prison. Even feared by his grandparents that he would grow up to become like his father, Killer Kane, he was friendless ever since. When he was younger he would kick anyone who tried to comfort him after his mother's death, therefore earning the nickname "Kicker." However, when Freak came along, everything changed for him. Although he first did not quite understand having Freak along with him, he gradually came to enjoy his time with his new buddy. When Max came together with Freak, they were unstoppable. They became Freak the Mighty.

Honestly, at first I was not eager to read Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick. However, I had to, since it was one of the required books to read in school. Now, it is one of my favorite books. The story between Max and Kevin (a.k.a Freak) is really relatable, especially since the book is written in Max's point of view. Their friendship was really heart-warming, and the book never let me take my eyes off of it. It was filled with surprises, which was one of the reasons why I loved this book. I would recommend it to anyone of any age and reading level, since the book is extremely easy to understand but still has a deep meaning to it.

Hannah, grade 7 Montrose-Crescenta Branch