Rodman Philbrick facts for kids

Rodman Philbrick (born January 22, 1951) is an American author who writes books for both young people and adults. He is well-known for his popular children's books like Freak the Mighty, Max the Mighty, and The Last Book in the Universe. He has also written many mystery and thriller novels for grown-ups.

About Rodman Philbrick's Life

Rodman Philbrick was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Today, he lives in two different places: Maine and Florida. He went to Portsmouth High School and studied for a while at the University of New Hampshire. Before he became a full-time writer, he worked as a longshoreman, which means he helped load and unload ships. He also built boats!

Rodman Philbrick's Writing Career

Rodman Philbrick has written many exciting books. For adults, he has written mysteries and thrillers. He even used different names, called pen names, like William R. Dantz and Chris Jordan, for some of his books. As Chris Jordan, he wrote a series about a former FBI agent named Randall Shane who helps find missing children.

Popular Books for Young Readers

Two of his most famous books for young people are Freak the Mighty and its follow-up, Max the Mighty. Freak the Mighty was even made into a movie called The Mighty!

He also wrote:

• The Last Book in the Universe: This is a cyberpunk story set in a future world that isn't perfect, known as a dystopian world.
• REM World: A science fantasy adventure.
• The Young Man and the Sea: A story he dedicated to his nieces.
• The Fire Pony: About two brothers on the run in the American West.
• The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg: This book takes place during the American Civil War. It was so good that it won a special award called a Newbery Honor Book in 2010. A play based on this book was performed in Washington, D.C., in 2012.

Rodman Philbrick also worked with Lynn Harnett to create scary book series for young readers. These include The House on Cherry Street, The Werewolf Chronicles, and Visitors.

Recent Books and Stories

Rodman Philbrick keeps writing new and exciting stories.

• In 2014, he published Zane and The Hurricane: A Story of Katrina, an adventure set in New Orleans.
• The Big Dark came out in 2016.
• In 2017, he released a mystery for young readers called Who Killed Darius Drake?.
• Wildfire, a thrilling survival tale, was published in 2019.
• His book We Own the Sky, which tells the story of an immigrant flying circus in Maine in 1924, was published in 2022.

Personal Life

Rodman Philbrick was married to Lynn Harnett from 1980 until she passed away in 2012.

Awards and Honors

Rodman Philbrick has won many awards for his books, especially his books for young readers.