Freak the Mighty

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.)