Reading Log
One of our assignments in the Materials for Children class that I'm taking this semester is to keep a reading log where we read JFic books of our choice in addition to the required books on the syllabus. We haven’t been given any specifications yet on what he wants us to write or how many extra books we should read, but as I was checking books back in last night I found Freak the Mighty. It looked really good so I snagged it and started reading it last night. I finally had to put it down and go to bed but I finished it this morning. Here is my informal reaction.
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
It was good, really really good. Don't want to put it down good. I would highly recommend it to kids and adults. The story is related as written down by Max, after the events.
Max is this big, slow, dumb kid (in his and everyone else's estimation). His father is in prison and Max inherited his looks and size. Going in to the eight grade, he is already bigger then most adults. Everyone, including his grandparents, just sort of assume he's going to be a juvenile delinquent and always getting in to fights. But really he is the sweetest kid. He knows his size scares people but he doesn't want to, and mostly he just keeps to himself. To him, it just doesn't occur to him to bully people with his size or cause trouble on purpose. There are a few moments in the book (all described with Max's matter of fact, this-is how-it-is, no-big type attitude) that just make me want to hug him.
Freak is the same age as Max but he has a condition where his body just doesn't grow. He is only about 2 feet tall and has to wear leg braces to walk. He is incredibly smart, is always using and looking up huge words in his dictionary and has an incredibly vivid imagination. As Max says, he didn't have a brain until Freak came along. Together, Freak riding on Max's shoulders, they make 'Freak the Mighty, nine feet tall slayer of dragons and fools and walking high above the world'. With Freak as the mind and Max as the body they embark on many quests.
I knew even when I started the book that Freak dies in the end, but it still made me cry, watching as Max tries to come to terms with his friend's death. So here I am at work finishing the book and trying to hide the fact that I'm crying as I field questions like 'do you have the textbook for class x?' (which we don't) or 'Where is the advisor?' (which requires pointing) or 'Can you help me find out if you have Hamlet here?' (Which is a yes and a yes). The end is heart-wrenching and sad but in a strangely good way. I'm going to recommend it to Mom seeing as she has already absconded with The Higher Power of Lucky which is one of the books I needed to read for this Thursday’s class. (Also another one I really enjoyed)