Freak the Mighty

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle (1954)

• Following the references and allusions of knighthood, The Story of King Arthur and His Knights provides further context for Kevin and Max’s many adventures.
• An illustrated novel for middle-grade readers

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor (2018)

• Like Max, Mason is the largest student in his grade and also struggles with a learning disability. When Mason’s friend is found deceased in Mason’s family’s orchard, Mason doesn’t understand why police don’t believe his story.
• A fiction novel targeted for readers in grades five through seven.
• The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle on SuperSummary

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff (2015)

• Trent Zimmerman is struggling to move past an accident where he was responsible for someone’s death. Fallon Little, class outcast, befriends Trent and helps him move forward.
• An emotionally intense fiction novel for middle-grade readers
• Lost in the Sun on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

SmartKIDS Learning Disabilities: What They Are (And What They’re Not)

• An informational page about learning disabilities that provides brief descriptions of what learning disabilities are and how they affect various areas of learning

"What Are Learning Disabilities?”

• A brief informational video on the term “learning disabilities,” what the term addresses, and individuals who have learning disabilities
• A production of the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta
• Uses engaging graphics to provide context for learning

"What’s Going On in This Picture" from The New York Times Learning Network

• Often used to develop empathy skills, What’s Going On in This Picture provides students with the opportunity to flex their visual thinking skills.
• A web resource developed by the New York Times that compiles images from around the world for analysis

Teacher Resources

“Tools, Guides, & Resources” at Youth.gov

• Youth.gov provides a wide variety of resources for educators, parents, and others working with children whose parents are incarcerated.
• A web resource with many links to authoritative information about children with incarcerated parents

Morquio Syndrome Description

• A brief description of Morquio Syndrome, the condition with which Kevin is afflicted in Freak the Mighty
• An entry provided by Boston Children’s Hospital about Morquio Syndrome, its symptoms, diagnosis processes, and more