Freak The Mighty
Study Guide Questions (Chapters 10-25)
Chapter 10: Rats or Worse
1. Why does Grim give Max a sorrowful look after Max says that Freak is not a poor boy?
(Foreshadowing)
Something bad is going to happen to Kevin. Max doesn’t realize that something bad is
going to happen to Kevin.
2. What is going to happen at exactly 3 o’clock in the morning? Why that time?
They are going to go to the sewers to retrieve a purse that Tony D. stole.
They are going at 3:00 AM because they don’t want anyone to see them.
3. Why can’t Max fall asleep at night?
Max cannot fall asleep because there is a cricket in his room and he is nervous/excited
about sneaking out of the house for the first time without Gram/Grim knowing.
4. How does Max and Freak disguise themselves?
Max rolls around in dirt.
Freak dresses up like Darth Vader
5. Where are Freak and Max going on their quest?
Freak and Max are going on their quest to the sewers at the end of the block to
retrieve the purse and return it to the owner.
6. What do they find? A purse
How did it get there? Tony D. and his gang stole it and put it in the sewer
Who does it belong to? Loretta Lee
Chapter 11: The Damsel of Distress
1. Describe the Testaments. (List THREE points)
a. Broken toys and bikes all over the lawn
b. Building falling apart
c.
Smells like sour milk and fish
Freak The Mighty
2. Why are Freak and Max at the Testaments?
To return the purse stolen by Tony D. to Loretta Lee who lives at the testaments.
3. Describe Loretta and Iggy. (list FOUR points for each)
a. Loretta=
 Mean
 Short Red Hair
 Looks like a mess
 Smoker and heavy drinker
b. Iggy
 Big fat and sloppy looking
 tattoos
 Mean
 Leader of the Panheads (a gang)
4. How do you know that Loretta is scared of Iggy?
She does whatever Iggy tells her to do.
5. Describe Max and Freak’s visit with Loretta and Iggy.
Strange, Interesting because they know Max’s father and dangerous
6. Why does Iggy let Max and Freak leave?
Iggy is scared of Killer Kane and lets them go. He doesn’t want Kane to find out that he was
giving his son a hard time.
7. Do you think Freak knows about Max’s father? Why or why not?
Yes, I think that he knew but he didn’t want to bring it up just like Max didn’t want to bring up
his father.
8. What did Loretta mean when she said Freak’s father was a magician?
Loretta meant that his father disappeared because he found out that he was going to be born
with a birth defect and left Gwen.
Freak The Mighty
Chapter 12: Killer Kane, Killer Kane, Had a Kid Who Got No Brain
1. Why did Kevin and Gwen convince the people at the school to allow the boys to be in the same
class?
Kevin needs help going to class and carrying his books.
2. Why is it unusual for Max to be in Kevin’s class?
Kevin is in honors classes and Max is in LD class (Learning Disabled)
3. Why do Grim and Gram agree for Max to Join Kevin’s classes?
Nothing else has been working for Max and they think that he would do better if he had a
friend.
4. Why does Kevin call the class to order? Describe the situation.
Kevin calls the class to order because everyone was making fun of Max saying Killer Kane,
Killer Kane had a son who has no brain.
5. What effect does Kevin sitting on Max’s shoulders have on his class and teacher? What effect
does it have on Max?
The Class starts to cheer and the teacher is shocked (sends them down to the principal’s
office) Max feels self-confident when Max gets on his shoulders.
6. Who is Mrs. Donelli? Who is Mrs. Addison?
Mrs. Donelli: First Year English Teacher
Mrs. Addison: Principal
7. Explain the chapter title.
The title of the chapter is describing how the class made fun of Max during in English.
Chapter13: American Chop Suey
1. What is the setting of Chapter 13? (When and Where)
School cafeteria during lunch
2. How does Freak teach Max to read? What did the compare reading to?
Told him to close his eyes and how each word is like a part of a picture. When you put the
words together it makes a giant picture. He has to use his imagination to see the picture.
Freak The Mighty
3. Does Mrs. Donelli accept Freak the Mighty? Give PROOF—quote from the story.
Yes calls them the dynamic duo.
4. Max is called alone to the Principal’s Office. Name TWO reasons Max thought he was called
down.
1. Something happened to Gram and Grim
2. They were going to put him back in LD classes
5. Why did the Principal actually want to talk to Max? How does Max respond?
The Principal wanted to talk to Max about how she received a letter from the parole board
from his father. Max starts freaking out screaming.
Chapter 14: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
1. Why does Max take a day off of school?
To visit Freak at the Hospital.
2. What is Freak’s explanation for needing a new body?
His insides are getting too small for his body,
3. Why are Grim and Gram yelling? Explain both sides of the argument. Who do you agree with?
Grim wants to get a gun to protect the house incase Kenny Kane comes.
Gram doesn’t want a gun or violence in her house.
4. Who is Annie? Grim and Gram’s daughterMax’s mother
5. Have Grim and Gram always hated Max’s father? Did Annie trust Max’s father?
Grim and Gram always disliked Max’s father but Annie trusted him and thought that he was a
changed man.
6. Why does Grim go to the “down under”? What does this show about Grim and Max’s
relationship?
Grim goes down to talk to Max to make sure that he was “ok” and that his father will not hurt
him because they have a restraining order. This shows that Grim and Max have a much
stronger relationship than at the beginning of the book
7. What does Max “cross his heart and hope to die” to?
The fact that his father won’t come.
Chapter 15: What Came Down the Chimney
1. When does Chapter 15 take place? Christmas Eve At Grim and Gram’s house
2. How does Grim entertain everyone after dinner? Telling stories and jokes
Freak The Mighty
3. What is special about the shape of the box that Kevin made for Max’s gift?
It is in the shape of a pyramid.
4. What did Freak give Max for Christmas? Why is this special?
A dictionary of his words.
5. What happens during the night while Max is sleeping?
His father comes to him during the night and kidnaps him.
Chapter 16: A Chip off the Old Block
1. Why does Max follow Kenny Kane’s directions quietly? Why doesn’t he fight or try to escape?
He didn’t want Grim and Gram to wake up and get hurt.
2. Why does Max think, “He doesn’t need a suit of armor”? Who is he referring to?
He could protect himself He is referring to knights.
3. Why does Killer Kane say that they poisoned Max?
He is trying to convince Max that Grim and Gram got it all wrong and that he never killed his
mother. That they kept on telling Max these horrible stories so Max would hate him.
4. Where does Killer Kane take Max?
To the testaments.
5. How long was Killer Kane in jail? What was the original sentence? (Chapter 11)
8 Years Original 15 years
6. Compare Iggy’s behavior now to his behavior when Max and Kevin returned Loretta’s purse.
We see that Iggy is not so tough. He is petrified of Kenny and does whatever he says. Much
like the way Loretta acts with Iggy.
Chapter 17: By All That’s Holy
1. Where does Iggy take Max and his father?
To his neighbors (old lady) apartment.
2. Why does Kenny Kane tie up Max?
He doesn’t want Max to try to run away.
Freak The Mighty
3. Max’s father said he sent Max gifts and letters while he was in prison, but Grim and Gram never
gave them to Max. Do you believe Max’s father really sent letters and gifts?
Opinion
4. What does Max notice as he looks at his father’s face as he describes the injustices he
experienced?
That he is crying
5. Do you believe Max’s father believes he has “religion”? Do you believe he is innocent? Explain.
Opinion
Chapter 18: Never Trust a Cripple
1. What day is it? Christmas day
2. Why does Loretta visit Max and Killer Kane?
To give them left over pizza
3. How does Killer Kane feel about Loretta? Give PROOF- quote from the story.
Killer Kane is mean to Loretta and doesn’t like her. For example, he will not eat anything that
she touches.
4. What is Killer Kane’s plan?
To get an RV and drive down south. Killer Kane will preach the word of GOD on the street
showing how he was a bad guy and saw the light of God. Max will collect money from the
people who stop by to listen to him talk.
5. Why does Killer Kane refer to himself as “the light”?
He refers to himself as the light because he thinks he is a changed man.
6. What does Iggy report to Killer Kane when he comes to the apartment?
That the cops came by and he saw Kevin in the back seat
7. What do you think Iggy is trying to tell Max “with his eyes”?
That he is going to try to help him.
8. What does Killer Kane ask Iggy to do?
To get him a gun and transportation.
Freak The Mighty
Chapter 19: Into the Black Down Under
1. Explain the simile: Cops are like bugs.
Cops are everywhere.
2. Where is Killer Kane and Max’s new hideout? Describe it.
An abandoned burnt building
3. Describe how Killer Kane treats Max.
Mean but like a man at the same time.
4. Why does Killer Kane tie Max to the boiler?
So he doesn’t run away.
5. Who goes into “the black down under” to free Max? Who is the accomplice? Why are they
helping Max?
Loretta Lee went down to the Black down under  Accomplice Iggy
6. What happens during the rescue?
Killer Kane finds Loretta helping Max and starts chocking her.
Chapter 20: Freak the Might Strikes Again
1. What does the sight of Loretta being hurt do to Max?
Makes Max confess that he remembers when his father killed his mother.
2. What does Max say that gets Killer Kane to let go of Loretta?
I remember you were wearing a black shirt with no sleeves and your brown corduroy pants.
You put me in my room and I broke the window and started screaming for someone to help
mom.
3. How did Max get his father locked up for life when Max was only 4 years old?
He broke his bedroom window and started screaming for help.
4. How does Freak save Max?
He climbs down the window and tells Killer Kane that his water gun is filled with Acid.
5. Why is Freak laughing when he and Max get to safety?
Freak is laughing because his trick worked. The water gun was filled with water lemon and
curry powder not acid.
Freak The Mighty
6. What happens to Killer Kane?
He gets arrested.
7. Which character from this chapter could be described as a dynamic character? Why?
Maxhe changed from having no self-esteem to being self-confident
Iggy and Lorettabecause they helped out Max
Chapter 21:The Accident of Nature
1. Why does everyone think they will “lock Killer Kane up for good this time”?
Because to tried to kill Loretta and Max, kidnapping and breaking parole
2. How does Max relate Grim’s advice, “you can’t judge a book by its cover” to this situation?
You can’t judge Iggy and Loretta based off of what they look like.
3. What changes at Max’s house after the situation?
He no longer sleeps in the down under.
4. Why does Gwen remind Kevin he has to be extra careful?
Because he isn’t doing well health wise.
5. How is school different for Max after Christmas break?
People are jealous of them that they were in the newspaper and on TV
6. What happens before Killer Kane’s trial?
He pled guilty
7. Why is Max afraid of growing up?
He doesn’t want to become like his father.
Chapter 22: Remembering Is Just an Invention of the Mind
1. What is Freak getting for his birthday? Why?
Bionics
2. What evidence reveals that Freak was not feeling well at his birthday party?
He is having trouble breathing
Freak The Mighty
3. What happens while Freak is showing Grim how to play chess on the computer?
He has a seizure
Chapter 23: The Empty Book
1. What is Max’s plan when he gets to the hospital?
To fly the ornithopter outside of Freak’s window.
2. Where is Kevin staying at the hospital? ICU
3. What is Freak’s response when Max asks him when he is coming home?
That he isn’t coming home.
4. What gift does Freak give Max? What is it for?
A journal
5. How does Freak want Max to tell the story?
He wants Max to write down all of their adventures.
6. Why do you think Grim and Gram just look at each other after Max says, “Poor Gwen? She’s
not the one having the special operation.”?
Because Max doesn’t realize that Kevin isn’t doing well and is not getting bionic legs.
Chapter 24: The Return of Kicker
1. Why does Max go to the hospital so early in the morning?
He wants to have breakfast with Kevin.
2. What happens when Max enters the ICU?
Nurses come up to him crying and trying to hug him
3. Why did Max run to the medical research building?
To see if he was telling the truth and to see why he didn’t get the surgery.
4. What happened to Freak? Who explained it to Max?
Freak’s heart became too big for his body. Dr. Spivak explained this to Max.
5. Why did Dr. Spivak say that Kevin made up the story about the bionic body? What does that say
about Freak’s character?
To give him something to dream about and to hope.
6. Why do you think nobody told Max that Freak was going to die?
Because Freak wanted to be treated like a normal kid and didn’t want Max to treat him any
differently.
Freak The Mighty
Chapter 25: What Loretta Said
1. How does Max initially deal with Kevin’s death?
He doesn’t come out of the down under.
2. What does Max mean when he says, “for a long time I felt like I was a balloon and somebody
had let the air out of me”?
He feels empty inside without Kevin.
3. What surprising thing did Tony D. do at school? How did Max react?
Tony D. said that he was sorry about what happened to Freak. Max threatened to beat him up
if he every feels sorry for him again.
4. Where did Gwen go? Why?
So moves to California because she couldn’t stay in the house with all the members of Kevin.
5. What did Loretta Lee tell Max that turned him around? Explain the meaning.
“Nothing is a drag, kid. Think about it.”
6. How did writing the story of Freak the Mighty help Max?
Made Max get his confidence back.