“I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while, and that’s the truth, the whole truth. The unvanquished truth, is how Freak would say it, and for a long time it was him who did the talking. Except I had a way of saying things with my fists and my feet even before we became Freak the Mighty […]” 

Max introduces himself and his story. “Freak” is Kevin, who has a disease that prevents him from growing properly. Kevin is extremely smart, and he and Max, who is big and a slow reader, form a team of two oddball friends who become more than each alone. 

“Not that I have any ideas. My brain is vacant, okay? I’m just this critter hiding out in the basement, drooling in my comic books or whatever. All right, I never actually drool, but you get the picture.” 

Large for his age and strongly resembling his criminal father, Max lives under the cloud of other people’s fear and disapproval. He keeps to himself and resents the judgment of others, but he can’t help believe their opinions..

“‘This is an ornithopter. An ornithopter is defined as an experimental device propelled by flapping wings. Or you could say that an ornithopter is just a big word for mechanical bird.’ That’s how he talked, like right out of a dictionary. So smart you can hardly believe it.” 

Freak is brilliant and knowledgeable, and Max takes to him instantly. The two boys each are what the other needs—for Freak, a regular pal to help him express his adventurous nature, and for Max, a brilliant friend who awakens his own mind to knowledge and imagination.