Bibliography: Clements, A. (1996). Frindle. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.Summary: Frindle tells the story of a young boy named Nick Allen. Nick is a very bright student who decides to invent a new word for pen which he decides should be called a frindle. This decision starts a battle of words with his fifth grade language arts teacher Mrs. Granger. Mrs. Granger believes that pen is a perfectly fine word and does not need to be changed. Nick recruits other students to his cause and despite staying after school as punishment most students stick with him. This battle of wills leads to a local news story, a spot on national television, talk shows and even a merchandise line. Years later Nick’s word makes its way into the dictionary and he discovers that Mrs. Granger, despite her initial resistance, was actually very proud of his accomplishment.
Impressions: A great story that captures perfectly the battle of wills that almost every young student engages in with his or her teacher (although this one was taken to a whole new level)! Nick is a perfect example of that precocious child that simultaneously delights and frustrates teachers the world over. Frindle teaches us that we should not be afraid to express ourselves and challenge conventional wisdom of what is right and proper in the world. If we did then the last thousand or so years of progress would never have occurred. Though young readers will have an easier time connecting with the main character, this book is a fun read that I recommend for all ages.
Reviews:
“Ten-year-old Nick Allen has a reputation for devising clever, time-wasting schemes guaranteed to distract even the most conscientious teacher. His diversions backfire in Mrs. Granger’s fifth-grade class, however, resulting in Nick being assigned an extra report on how new entries are added to the dictionary. Surprisingly, the research provides Nick with his best idea ever, and he decides to coin his own new word. Mrs. Granger has a passion for vocabulary, but Nick’s (and soon the rest of the school’s) insistence on referring to pens as “frindles” annoys her greatly. The war of words escalates--resulting in after-school punishments, a home visit from the principal, national publicity, economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and, eventually, inclusion of frindle in the dictionary. Slightly reminiscent of Avi’s Nothing but the Truth (1991), this is a kinder, gentler story in which the two sides eventually come to a private meeting of the minds and the power of language triumphs over both. Sure to be popular with a wide range of readers, this will make a great read-aloud as well.” (Reviewed Sept. 1, 1996)— Kay Weisman
- Weisman, K. (1996). Frindle Review. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Frindle-Andrew-Clements/pid=1018944
“Nick's idea to invent a brand new word is both a challenge and a tribute to his dictionary-loving, language-arts teacher. He devises ingenious ways to encourage people to start referring to pens as "frindles." Chaotic events follow as the word becomes a national phenomenon and, finally, an actual dictionary entry. Along with the humor, there are plenty of thought-provoking insights about the nature of words and their importance to the lives of regular people.” - Steven Engelfried
- Engelfried, S. (2004). Playing with Language. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA421164.html
Suggestions for Use in a Library: Bring a children’s dictionary, some markers, and a poster board. After reading the story aloud, give a marker to each child. They can pick one work from the dictionary they would like to rename and write it on the poster board which can then be displayed in the children’s section.
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