Published in 1993, Freak the Mighty is a YA novel written by American author Rodman Philbrick. The book is 160 pages in its original print, and follows the endeavors of a boy named Kevin who is nicknamed "Freak" by his classmates.
The protagonist, Kevin, is a teenage boy who was diagnosed with Morquio syndrome, leaving him physically handicapped. However, Kevin is also very intelligent. The story is narrated by Maxwell Kane, a large, but kindly boy whose father is a convicted serial killer, making the other kids scared of him even though he actually has a very warm demeanor. Max approaches Freak and they eventually become friends over the course of many events; however, the friendship is doomed to a tragic ending when Freak dies unexpectedly in the hospital. And so, Maxwell writes a story entitled "Freak the Mighty" in remembrance of the adventures they had together.
Freak the Mighty was very well-received by critics for the three-dimensional way it portrayed all the characters involved. It was adapted into a movie directed by Peter Chelsom in 1998, though it was re-dubbed as only "The Mighty".
