Student Question

What is Kevin's favorite book in Freak the Mighty?

Quick answer:

Kevin's favorite book in "Freak the Mighty" is about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. This is evident from his affectionate nickname for his mother, "Fair Guenevere," and his admiration for King Arthur, whom he sees as a "wimpy little kid" who achieves greatness. Kevin also likens the knights' armor to his leg braces, viewing them as "the first human version of robots," further connecting him to the story.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

One can be sure that Kevin has one very favorite book about one pertinent subject: the Legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. In addition to the characters mentioned in the title of the legend, another famous character is Queen Guenevere. There are three reasons why the reader can be sure this is Kevin's favorite book: the comparison of Kevin's mom to Queen Guenevere, the comparison of Kevin to King Arthur, and the comparison of Kevin's braces to medieval armor.

First, we have to consider Kevin's nickname for his mother, "Fair Guenevere." Even though Kevin's mom has the simple name of "Gwen," Kevin makes this allusion to his favorite story. Next, we know the story of King Arthur is Kevin's favorite because he compares himself to King Arthur. Kevin insists that the story is about a "wimpy little kid" who pulls a "magic sword stuck in...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

a big stone." Kevin is also the kind of kid who wants to do great things. Finally, Kevin compares himself to powerful medieval knights through armor. Just as knights wear armor, Kevin also wears the "armor" of his leg braces. Kevin insists that the knights are "like the first human version of robots." These are the three pieces of evidence showing that the legend of King Arthur is Kevin's favorite story.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

In Freak the Mighty, what is Kevin's favorite book?

There is no doubt that Kevin's favorite book has to do with the legend of King Arthur. This, of course, is the legendary story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, with Queen Guenevere being another important character.

The reader knows this is Kevin's favorite story for a couple of reasons. First, Kevin has given a fun nickname to his mother as a result. Kevin's mother, whose name is simply "Gwen," is given the title "Fair Guenevere." Max, in a very cute exchange, asks why Kevin calls his mother "Fair Gwen of Air." This gives Kevin the opportunity to tell Max the story. 

There is another important reason why Kevin really likes the story of King Arthur: it is a story of a "wimpy little kid" just like Kevin who did an amazing thing by pulling the "magic sword stuck in a big stone." No one else could do it except Arthur. Just like Kevin, Arthur had hopes of doing great things for his kingdom.

A final reason why Kevin likes the King Arthur legend is because of the armor the knights wear. Kevin says that, because of their armor, the knights are "like the first human version of robots." Kevin can relate to this because of the braces he has to wear on his legs.

Approved by eNotes Editorial