Age 10+

This story, which was translated into 12 languages and made into a film with Sharon Stone (The Mighty), is now published in the UK for the first time. It is surprising it was overlooked here for so long: this is a small classic, funny-sad, page-turning and memorable. It is narrated by Max, an overgrown teenager with learning difficulties, and tells the story of his friendship with a boy with dwarfism, a huge intellect and a tiny body who calls himself “the Freak”. Max gets into the habit of carrying his friend on his shoulders, and together, with the brawn of one and the brains of the other, they style themselves Freak the Mighty, face bullying and danger and discover how brave and powerful they can be as a team (and how much fun they can have). Max lives with his grandparents; his father, who has committed a terrible crime, is in prison, and serious trouble starts for Max the day his father gets out. Suspenseful, touching and swiftly persuasive about its most unusual central characters, this remarkable book takes you through dark territory, but is written with humour and simplicity. It celebrates language, loyalty and imagination, and leaves you smiling.

(Usborne £4.99)

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