Freak the Mighty is a young adult novel written by Rodman Philbrick and published in 1993. It follows two boys-Max Kane, who is large, kind, and slow; and Kevin "Freak" Avery who is very smart, but physically handicapped. The two form a complimentary relationship that draws on the best of each to help the other overcome his limitations. They refer to their combined persona as Freak the Mighty. The events of the novel escalate from dealing with a local bully to confronting Max's murderous father, and ultimately culminate in Freak's death from Morquio syndrome and Max's decision to write about his relationship with Freak. Though the events of the novel are entirely fictional, the characters were inspired by two real boys that Philbrick knew growing up. Freak the Mighty won state book awards in California, Arizona, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, and Wyoming. The 1998 Golden Globe-nominated film The Mighty was based on the novel. - SUMMARY BY SPARK NOTES