Books like Freak the Mighty

If you liked Freak the Mighty, read Run, Hide, Fight Back, Two Degrees, or Hatchet — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry

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Looking for books like Freak the Mighty by W. R. Philbrick (Adventure · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of learning disabilities, people with disabilities, and friendship. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Freak the Mighty

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Why each is a match

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Run, Hide, Fight Backgrades 6–9
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Two Degreesgrades 5–8
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L
Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
Alabama Moongrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Sparrow Hawk Redgrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Stormbreakergrades 5–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Cryptid Huntersgrades 5–8
Same genre (Adventure) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Call of the Wild1120L
Same genre (Adventure) and overlapping grades (6–10). Amazon → books like this →
The Rivergrades 5–8
Same genre (Adventure) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Cracker Jacksongrades 4–8
Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Freak the Mighty for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

  • Stellaluna by Janell Cannon · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Adventure).
  • Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Adventure).
  • Tacky the Penguin by Lester, Helen. · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (1980s).
  • Smoky Night by Eve Bunting · grades 1–4 — Same genre (Adventure).

Books like Freak the Mighty for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

  • Rescue Josh McGuire by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 3–5 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list) and same genre (Adventure).
  • Jaguar by Roland Smith · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Adventure).
  • The Grand Escape by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Adventure).
  • Stellaluna by Janell Cannon · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Adventure).
  • Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Adventure).

Common questions

What books are similar to Freak the Mighty?
The 10 closest matches to Freak the Mighty by W. R. Philbrick on ReadingList include Run, Hide, Fight Back, Two Degrees, Hatchet, Alabama Moon, and Sparrow Hawk Red. Each is scored on shared themes (learning disabilities, people with disabilities, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Freak the Mighty reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?
Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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