Maximum Ride

"Sometimes being a leader isn't about winning. Sometimes it's about doing what's right, instead of what's powerful." Maximum Ride is a fictional character in the famous series 'Maximum Ride' written by James Patterson. She is a courageous, thoughtful fourteen year old girl who has been tortured all her life and has had more life experience than an eighty year old man. She has problems like everyday teenagers: being chased by crazy people who want to kill her, being stuffed into dog cages (size medium), adults constantly lying to her, and having wings (yes people, wings). Well, her everyday teenager life. She and the flock (Fang, Iggy, Gazzy or the Gasman, Nudge, Angel, and eventually, in the sixth book, Dylan) have never found their parents until Max finds hers in the third book. She is a loving, but tough, girl who will do anything to keep her family safe forever. Which, unfortunately, she doesn't have.

Max's Family: Fang is fourteen just like Max and Iggy and yet is somewhat special. He has different abilities than the flock and his DNA is the key to immortality. He disappears when he stays still for a long time and he develops gills like Max and Angel. He and Max are in love throughout the series. He is believed to have raven DNA because of his black wings and the way they look purple in the sunlight. Iggy is also fourteen and is, unfortunately, blind. He is tall, has strawberry blonde hair and is in a relationship with Max's half sister, Ella. He is the cook in the flock and although he is blind, his other senses are more sensitive. He makes bombs with little eight year old Gazzy and they together are partners in crime. Nudge is an African American twelve year old and she just wants to be normal. She loves fashion and she hates being a mutant so much, she even threatened Max that she was going to cut off her wings. She just wants someone to love her for whom she is and instead she is heartbroken and let down and she is very jealous that Max has two people who love her. And she is very talkative. Gazzy is a little bit of a stinky one. He is super smart and fearless and mischievous. He can mimic voices and he has a gas problem. Angel "hit the genetic jackpot". She can breathe under water, read minds, control minds, change the way she looks, and she is the Voice. She can also predict the future and she predicted that Fang would be the first to die. She thinks like a thirty year old and she is very intelligent, yet none of the flock has any school education. Total, the dog, can talk. He eventually grows wings. The flock take care of him and he eventually marries a Malamute.

Maximum Ride is my hero because she is a great leader and she is a good person. Since she is a literary hero, I can't tell you when or where she lived or lives, but in the book she lives in the Colorado mountains in book one, then on 'paradise island' in the last book. The way she makes a difference for me is when she is being helpful to everyone she can and not just her family. She can be anyone's hero and she would be there for you to count on. Well, she can't because she is from a novel, but still, she is a great role model.

The ways Maximum Ride and I are alike is we are both great leaders and we both care dearly for our families. Her actions affect everything especially her life and other's lives.And she especially affect my life. In the books, she has saved many people, animals, her family, evil people, and even the evil scientists who have ruined and tortured her her whole life and she doesn't regret any of it. Like she said, "I had to give him props, but how annoying of him to be a hero when I was trying so hard to dislike him. It was downright selfish." She tries to be mean to take control, but she is just too kind.

"Sometimes being a leader isn't about winning. Sometimes it's about doing what's right, instead of what's powerful." She sees the good in everything no matter how small it is and that is why I think she is a great hero and that is why she is my hero.