Max The Mighty (Paperback)

by Rod Philbrick (Author) "My name is Maxwell Kane and the thing you should know about me is this: even though I'm a big dude with a face like..." (more)
Key Phrases: old dude, prairie schooner, real dad, Max the Mighty, Maxwell Kane, Sheriff Goodman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
PW's starred review called this sequel to Freak the Mighty "a rip-roaring, heartwarming escapade." Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7?There ought to be a law against churning out thoughtless sequels to great books. Max, introduced in Freak the Mighty (Scholastic, 1993), reluctantly runs away with Worm, the 11-year-old stepdaughter of a delusional and abusive street character he calls "the Undertaker." Hitchhiking west in search of Worm's real father, thought to be living in Chivalry, Montana, they are picked up by a widowed ex-teacher called "Hippy-Dippy," who is traveling in a '70s-style, reconditioned school bus. Their ride is interrupted by a chance meeting with an unsavory pair of con artists who recognize Max as the young teen kidnapper for whom a $10,000 bounty is being offered; the youngsters then take off and continue their journey by hopping trains. With "the Undertaker" in hot pursuit, they make it to their destination, a ghost town haunted by a catastrophic mine cave-in. There, the police, the Undertaker, Hippy-Dippy, and Max's grandfather are waiting for them. Enormous caverns of logic exist with the most obvious ones jumping out: where could the Undertaker come up with $10,000 reward money, who would take him seriously, wouldn't his checkered past spring to fluorescent light, and why would he seriously pursue this child in the first place? The emotional center?the gripping relationship between Max and Freak?is sorely missing here; readers are unlikely to connect with any of the cartoonlike characters assembled. The Hollywood ending is also lacking any semblance of credibility. Instead of this title, purchase an additional copy of the first book.?Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590579649
• ISBN-13: 978-0590579643
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, November 6, 2003

By	"vertmaster900" (Miller Place, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a great story of the friendship between Max, a kid who is very large for his age and is not too bright, and Rachel, also called "worm" because of her huge interest in reading. The story begins at Max's house, where he lives with his grandma and grandpa, who he calls Gram and Grim. The first couple chapters walk you through a normal day in his life. First, walking to school, trying to avoid hoodlums who live on "the wrong side of the tracks. In his classes, being made fun of for being so big and not being so smart. And lastly, taking the bus, where kids simply annoy and annoy him, even though he could easily beat them up. Then the story turns around and shows you Rachel's horrible home life. Her mom is constantly beaten by her stepfather, a tall, lean man with a heart of stone. When Max realizes this problem, he rescues her and they set off on a long and adventurous journey across the country to find her real dad, who is thought to live in Chivalry, Montana. And this journey has plenty of surprises along the way.

I really liked this book because I felt like I could relate to what some of the characters were going through.

I would highly recommend this book to any child or adult looking for a great story of friendship and determination. Also could be a good book to read along with your child.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Max the mighty is an exciting book., December 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Max the Mighty (Hardcover)

It all starts with a scream for help by Worm. Max the Mighty comes to the rescure saving her from a gangster. Max finds where she lives and takes Worm to find her step dad. What they dont know is they're in for a real ride! I recommend this book especially if you like the book Freak the Mighty.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Max the Mighty Review, November 6, 2003

By	"vertmaster900" (Miller Place, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a great story of the friendship between Max, a kid who is very large for his age and is not too bright, and Rachel, also called "worm" because of her huge interest in reading. The story begins at Max's house, where he lives with his grandma and grandpa, who he calls Gram and Grim. The first couple chapters walk you through a normal day in his life. First, walking to school, trying to avoid hoodlums who live on "the wrong side of the tracks. In his classes, being made fun of for being so big and not being so smart. And lastly, taking the bus, where kids simply annoy and annoy him, even though he could easily beat them up. Then the story turns around and shows you Rachel's horrible home life. Her mom is constantly beaten by her stepfather, "the undertaker". A tall, lean man with a heart of stone. When Max realizes this problem, he rescues her and they set off on a long and adventurous journey across the country to find her real dad, who is thought to live in Chivalry, Montana. And this journey has plenty of surprises along the way.

I really liked this book because I felt like I could relate to what some of the characters were going through.

And I would highly recommend this book to any child or adult looking for a great story of friendship and determination. Also could be a good book to read along with your child.