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Frindle #1
Frindle
Nicholas Allen has plenty of ideas. Who can forget the time he turned his third-grade classroom into a tropical island, or the times he fooled his teacher by chirping like a blackbird? But now Nick's in fifth grade, and it looks like his days as a troublemaker are over. Everyone knows that Mrs. Granger, the language arts teacher, has X-ray vision, and nobody gets away with anything in her classroom. To make matters worse, she's also a fanatic about the dictionary, which is hopelessly boring to Nick. But when Nick learns an interesting tidbit about words and where they come from, it inspires his greatest plan yet: to invent a new word. From now on, a pen is no longer a pen -- it's a frindle. It doesn't take long for frindle to take root, and soon the excitement spreads well beyond his school and town. His parents and Mrs. Granger would like Nick to put an end to all this nonsense. But frindle doesn't belong to Nick anymore. All he can do now is sit back and watch what happens.
This quirky, imaginative tale about creative thought and the power of words will have readers inventing their own words. Brian Selznick's black-and-white illustrations enhance the humor in this unforgettable story.
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
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June 4, 2013I read this book as an immigrant child just starting to learn about the English language and Western culture. Although the obvious theme of the importance of language was there but, the one thing that stood out to me as I finished this book, was the beauty and intricacy of the relationship between a teacher and a student. I had come from South Korea where respect was foremost in learning, but this book challenged this idea and gave so many reasons as to why the act of challenging authority does not always point to disobedience, but rather, allows the potential for a student to flourish to strive to prove a teacher wrong, in a meaningful way.
October 9, 2013
I didn't read this book, but my 9 year old did and this is his review, in his words. I can't vouch for accuracy, but I got a kick out of his response. Mr. Clements--I hope you read these from time to time.
"When I saw the book Frindle, I said, "I'm not reading this." But I did anyway. So I was reading and I was actually amazed with the book. It had a really hard beginning, a juicy middle, and a happy ending. The stuff I really liked was that the main character was a kid named Nick and I really like this part: Nick was watching a show and a bird would peep really loud when something bad would happen. So Nick decided to do it in school but someone else got blamed. I really felt bad for Janet. If I was her, I would be really embarrassed. When Nick was walking home with Janet, Janet found a pen and Nick bumped into Janet. "Hey Sorry," said Nick. "It's okay, here's your frindle."
Now we get to the juicy part. Nick was rich, but he didn't know! His dad did not tell him.
Happy ending time. A couple years later, Nick got a package. He was trying to open it and there was a pen from Mrs. Granger, or should I say a frindle, then Nick gave a package back and Mrs. Granger picked out a gold frindle.
I think you should read this book. Nick is like my friend David. David is very creative. He told me that he wants to make a robot. I think David should be a scientist. Also I think Nick is smart like my friend Charly. He is also funny like my three friends Michael, Freddy, and Joe. He is nice like my friend Molly. And tricky like my friend Kayla. Honest like my friend Mikey. So I am saying that Nick is like all of my friends. Can you be like Nick? Well, let's try."
~by Braeden Cooper
"When I saw the book Frindle, I said, "I'm not reading this." But I did anyway. So I was reading and I was actually amazed with the book. It had a really hard beginning, a juicy middle, and a happy ending. The stuff I really liked was that the main character was a kid named Nick and I really like this part: Nick was watching a show and a bird would peep really loud when something bad would happen. So Nick decided to do it in school but someone else got blamed. I really felt bad for Janet. If I was her, I would be really embarrassed. When Nick was walking home with Janet, Janet found a pen and Nick bumped into Janet. "Hey Sorry," said Nick. "It's okay, here's your frindle."
Now we get to the juicy part. Nick was rich, but he didn't know! His dad did not tell him.
Happy ending time. A couple years later, Nick got a package. He was trying to open it and there was a pen from Mrs. Granger, or should I say a frindle, then Nick gave a package back and Mrs. Granger picked out a gold frindle.
I think you should read this book. Nick is like my friend David. David is very creative. He told me that he wants to make a robot. I think David should be a scientist. Also I think Nick is smart like my friend Charly. He is also funny like my three friends Michael, Freddy, and Joe. He is nice like my friend Molly. And tricky like my friend Kayla. Honest like my friend Mikey. So I am saying that Nick is like all of my friends. Can you be like Nick? Well, let's try."
~by Braeden Cooper
September 21, 2021
this is the only book i remember reading in 5th grade, though i'm sure there were many others. i revisited it tonight as something quick to help lift me out of a month-long avoidance of reading, and it definitely brought me back in time and i was able to appreciate this book as an adult. i don't know if this book will still carry the same impact for young readers as it did for me since the world is much more different with social media (and child privacy in mainstream media lol), but the last two chapters got me sniffling.
March 25, 2016
Okay, so I had to read this for my Study in Children's Lit college class and I finished it about 2 minutes ago and I'm still batting back tears from my eyes as I sit in the middle of the student union. I loved this book. So much. My heart is overflowing with unconditional love for this story.
When I saw this book on the course list, I recognized the cover and figured my brother must have read it when we were kids, but I knew I never had. I wondered why I hadn't for a moment but put that thought away. I'm actually really glad I read it now instead of then. Way back when, my brother (who is a year older than I) loved to read and I did not at all. If I tried this book, I probably wouldn't have liked it just because reading wasn't really my thing yet so I'm so happy I read it now when I love and appreciate words.
Because this book is all about words, specifically the word 'frindle' (unfortunately spellcheck doesn't think it's a word..). When I realized what direction this book was going in was the moment I fell in love. A smart-ass kid making up a word to piss off his teachers but the word actually gaining traction and becoming an actual word simply because people used it and insisted that it is a word. Absolutely love. I really loved the relationship between Nick and Mrs. Granger, too. That played out just the way I thought it would. I just love how this book shows kids all the power that words have. Good words and bad words, both types can spread like wildfire and have the same effect that frindle had, so be careful of what you say. But also, words have an incredible power to be what you want, to express what you want. Words are such wonderful, beautiful things and they're really all we have and Frindle gets down to the essence of that.
I think it's also really interesting that this book was written in 1996 and is basically maps out the entire map that a meme takes when it get popular in this day in age. I don't know when the word 'meme' came about but I'm pretty sure this whole 'meme culture' is a pretty new thing. But Frindle maps out the whole meme path and I think it's pretty interesting how Andrew Clements just nailed in back in '96. First a few people know about it; then someone of higher power with a wider audience of people/listeners/followers hears about it, helps it spread; then quicker than anyone expects, everyone knows about this thing; there are reproductions of this thing everywhere (graphics, videos, songs, and in the case of Frindle t-shirts and hats and the like); then it dies down, but everyone still knows about it and will catch the reference. It's probably just Clements understanding human behavior, but I still think it's incredibly interesting that he totally predicted and nail meme culture.
Anyway. Endless love for this book. Buy it for all the kids in your life, but you should read it, too, because it will warm your heart like no other.
When I saw this book on the course list, I recognized the cover and figured my brother must have read it when we were kids, but I knew I never had. I wondered why I hadn't for a moment but put that thought away. I'm actually really glad I read it now instead of then. Way back when, my brother (who is a year older than I) loved to read and I did not at all. If I tried this book, I probably wouldn't have liked it just because reading wasn't really my thing yet so I'm so happy I read it now when I love and appreciate words.
Because this book is all about words, specifically the word 'frindle' (unfortunately spellcheck doesn't think it's a word..). When I realized what direction this book was going in was the moment I fell in love. A smart-ass kid making up a word to piss off his teachers but the word actually gaining traction and becoming an actual word simply because people used it and insisted that it is a word. Absolutely love. I really loved the relationship between Nick and Mrs. Granger, too. That played out just the way I thought it would. I just love how this book shows kids all the power that words have. Good words and bad words, both types can spread like wildfire and have the same effect that frindle had, so be careful of what you say. But also, words have an incredible power to be what you want, to express what you want. Words are such wonderful, beautiful things and they're really all we have and Frindle gets down to the essence of that.
I think it's also really interesting that this book was written in 1996 and is basically maps out the entire map that a meme takes when it get popular in this day in age. I don't know when the word 'meme' came about but I'm pretty sure this whole 'meme culture' is a pretty new thing. But Frindle maps out the whole meme path and I think it's pretty interesting how Andrew Clements just nailed in back in '96. First a few people know about it; then someone of higher power with a wider audience of people/listeners/followers hears about it, helps it spread; then quicker than anyone expects, everyone knows about this thing; there are reproductions of this thing everywhere (graphics, videos, songs, and in the case of Frindle t-shirts and hats and the like); then it dies down, but everyone still knows about it and will catch the reference. It's probably just Clements understanding human behavior, but I still think it's incredibly interesting that he totally predicted and nail meme culture.
Anyway. Endless love for this book. Buy it for all the kids in your life, but you should read it, too, because it will warm your heart like no other.
September 18, 2024
Catching up…
I had read this one a while ago. But what made me want to re-visit it is that I read recently that 28 years after the late Andrew Clements introduced this iconic debut novel, Random House Books for Young Readers will posthumously publish its follow-up, “The Frindle Files” on August 27th. It will also feature art by Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick who also created the cover illustration for Frindle.
This is the story of Nick who challenges his teacher by thinking he is smarter. He is always trying to find clever ways to use up class time to avoid school work. How many ways can he distract his teachers?
But one way a teacher gets to him is to give him extra homework on how words get into the dictionary – the origin of words, that he will have to read out loud in class. He only sees this as another opportunity to take up class time.
Will Nick win this argument, or will the teacher teach him something he needs to learn?
In many ways this is a story about the power of language – to think deeply and creatively about it. It is also a story about how kids test boundaries, question authority, but how they can also learn to respect it.
And who knows, maybe one day a word that kids creatively create can actually be added to the dictionary... (did that really happen?)
frin * dle – a device used to write or make marks with ink.
Reading Level: Age 8+
I had read this one a while ago. But what made me want to re-visit it is that I read recently that 28 years after the late Andrew Clements introduced this iconic debut novel, Random House Books for Young Readers will posthumously publish its follow-up, “The Frindle Files” on August 27th. It will also feature art by Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick who also created the cover illustration for Frindle.
This is the story of Nick who challenges his teacher by thinking he is smarter. He is always trying to find clever ways to use up class time to avoid school work. How many ways can he distract his teachers?
But one way a teacher gets to him is to give him extra homework on how words get into the dictionary – the origin of words, that he will have to read out loud in class. He only sees this as another opportunity to take up class time.
Will Nick win this argument, or will the teacher teach him something he needs to learn?
In many ways this is a story about the power of language – to think deeply and creatively about it. It is also a story about how kids test boundaries, question authority, but how they can also learn to respect it.
And who knows, maybe one day a word that kids creatively create can actually be added to the dictionary... (did that really happen?)
frin * dle – a device used to write or make marks with ink.
Reading Level: Age 8+
July 15, 2007
"Frindle" tells the story of an intrepid young man who tries to distract his teacher, and avoid homework assignments. He ends up creating a new word for "pen" - "frindle" and gaining national attention.
The plot here is similar to "Nothing but the Truth," a young adult novel by AVI, about a boy who similarly wants to annoy his teacher, by singing along to the national anthem when it is played over the PA system. The difference between the two is in the tone of the struggle between student and teacher, which is best illustrated by the the endings (which I won't spoil for you!). "Frindle" is much more upbeat and fun, and it ends on a happy note, while "Nothing but the Truth," is more tension filled and the ending is not really "happy." This could be do to the intended target age for these books - the happier, simpler "Frindle" was written for younger readers, with a positive message about potential and creativity. "Nothing but the Truth" critiques the modern intrepretation of freedom of speech.
A quick and fun read!
The plot here is similar to "Nothing but the Truth," a young adult novel by AVI, about a boy who similarly wants to annoy his teacher, by singing along to the national anthem when it is played over the PA system. The difference between the two is in the tone of the struggle between student and teacher, which is best illustrated by the the endings (which I won't spoil for you!). "Frindle" is much more upbeat and fun, and it ends on a happy note, while "Nothing but the Truth," is more tension filled and the ending is not really "happy." This could be do to the intended target age for these books - the happier, simpler "Frindle" was written for younger readers, with a positive message about potential and creativity. "Nothing but the Truth" critiques the modern intrepretation of freedom of speech.
A quick and fun read!
March 26, 2015
The kids LOVED this book. Especially Max (age 10). I thought it was pretty good, until the very end, which was fantastic and I couldn't help but shed a tear or five. Mimi said, "oh there goes Mommy crying again..." I can't help it! I am easily touched by these things! I was very moved! (past children's lit mommy tear-jerkers include Earthquake in the Early Morning, A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time, Abe Lincoln At Last!, and the SOB FEST that is When You Reach Me). If I was the sole representative of this book review, I would give this book a 4. For me it wavered between a 3 and 4 for 90% of the story, and finished with a big five star ending. But the kids were loving it from start to finish, and it is they who are the target audience, so we have agreed on a five star rating. And like Mimi says, any book that makes Mommy break down in tears probably deserves 5 stars. So 5 stars it is :)
December 11, 2015
Frindle is the story of:
Nick Allen,
an incredibly smart kid, whose mind is always churning out idea after brilliant idea. Basically, Nick is a very popular kid, who wants to have fun while learning at school.
The other protagonist of the story is:
Mrs. Granger,
the stern Language teacher who handles the entire fifth-grade single-handedly.
Basically, Mrs. Granger with her no-nonsense attitude is too smart to fall for tricksters like Nick.
And the main protagonist of the book, the one that gives the book its title is:
Frindle
Basically, a frindle is just.. a pen.
Nick tries to outwit Mrs. Granger a bunch of times, with not much luck, until one day in Language class, when they learn how words come into existence, Nick gets the BIG IDEA.
Reading this book was such a delight! I can't even imagine how much kids would enjoy it!
Also, Mrs. Granger looks like a spitting image of the incredible English Language teacher I had in Second standard!
The book portrays the student-teacher relationship so beautifully, that towards the end I just could not wipe that smile off my face, and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside! (^.^)
A special shout-out to Brian Selznick , whose illustrations as always are so GORGEOUS and intricately done, that I simply cannot help feeling awestruck! (*.*)
Nick Allen,
an incredibly smart kid, whose mind is always churning out idea after brilliant idea. Basically, Nick is a very popular kid, who wants to have fun while learning at school.
The other protagonist of the story is:
Mrs. Granger,
the stern Language teacher who handles the entire fifth-grade single-handedly.
Basically, Mrs. Granger with her no-nonsense attitude is too smart to fall for tricksters like Nick.
And the main protagonist of the book, the one that gives the book its title is:
Frindle
Basically, a frindle is just.. a pen.
Nick tries to outwit Mrs. Granger a bunch of times, with not much luck, until one day in Language class, when they learn how words come into existence, Nick gets the BIG IDEA.
Reading this book was such a delight! I can't even imagine how much kids would enjoy it!
Also, Mrs. Granger looks like a spitting image of the incredible English Language teacher I had in Second standard!
The book portrays the student-teacher relationship so beautifully, that towards the end I just could not wipe that smile off my face, and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside! (^.^)
A special shout-out to Brian Selznick , whose illustrations as always are so GORGEOUS and intricately done, that I simply cannot help feeling awestruck! (*.*)
July 20, 2013
On the surface, Frindle is a cute children's book about a creative kid who makes up a new word right out of the blue, and causes quite a stir in school and in his community by getting a lot of other kids to use it--and provoking opposition from his teacher Mrs. Granger, who stands by the letter of the law of the dictionary.
Below the surface, the book involves more difficult questions about the fluidity and meaning of language, how it develops, the place of established rules vs. community and individual consciousness of what a word means.
My concern with this book is that it just leaves these problems below the surface, and works on brash assumptions that creativity and change are unequivocally good, and that language may be treated as putty in the hands of each generation. There is little suggestion that anything of deep significance may be lost or that there is any reason to hold onto traditions in language. I do not mean to suggest that there is no value in creative experimentation or that there is never a reason to reinvent terms, but this little book treads on that ground carelessly, without suggesting that we carry our historical understandings of ourselves--practically our lives--in our hands when we do this.
Still, Frindle is entertaining and could be used to spark interesting discussion with middle school readers.
June 13, 2016
This book is incredibly clever. No matter how old a reader is, they will enjoy this.
Check out my BookTube video on "Frindle":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdva...
Check out my BookTube video on "Frindle":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdva...
October 4, 2023
What a delightful surprise!
Andrew Clements spins a clever and touching yarn about a mischievous fifth grader whose petty notion to rename pens as "frindles" to peeve his strict teacher pits him in a battle of wills with her and the school administration and garners more attention than he would have thought possible.
It's a terrific and entertaining introduction to first amendment rights, authoritarianism, and civil disobedience.
It may stretch a little too far for its ending, but I was enjoying the story so much by then that I happily went along for the ride.
Andrew Clements spins a clever and touching yarn about a mischievous fifth grader whose petty notion to rename pens as "frindles" to peeve his strict teacher pits him in a battle of wills with her and the school administration and garners more attention than he would have thought possible.
It's a terrific and entertaining introduction to first amendment rights, authoritarianism, and civil disobedience.
It may stretch a little too far for its ending, but I was enjoying the story so much by then that I happily went along for the ride.
Read
July 17, 2021i stared at the words "trilemma of international finance" on my econs notes for a while, then gave up. instead i read a children's book i remembered seeing but never picking up in primary school.
the premise of the book is very simple. boy decides "pen" will henceforth be called "frindle". adults object. but his new word gains popularity anyway. hurray.
slightly embarrassed to say some parts made me laugh. such as boy's teacher confronting him over his antics by saying "i'd like to have a WORD with you."
aside from the occasional joke, the novel contains some serious discussions of prescient issues, a fraction of which i will attempt to surface below.
firstly, points docked due to the capitalist businessman character who trademarks the word frindle and uses it to mass produce pens with "frindle" inscribed on them. the book correctly points out he is entirely driven by greed - for example, the book specifically mentions that he produces "cheap plastic ballpoint pens", subtly implying how his soulless pursuit of profit leads to a disregard for quality and for the environment. in fact, he doesm't even remember the name of the boy whose idea he's stealing. however, the book then celebrates the millions of dollars the boy eventually receives as a share of the profits, describing with glee the mountain bike and computer he buys for himself - uncritically condoning the inherently inethical accumulation of wealth.
in another passage, the main character contemplates organising a peaceful protest against the poor quality of cafeteria food by getting students to bring their own packed lunches until improvements are made. curiously, the blame for the poor quality is placed on the lunch ladies: he was sure those women didn't cook food like that for their families. it is revealing how the novel chooses to blame the poor lunch ladies, who are probably woefully underpaid, instead of the country's education and healthcare systems, of whom the lunch ladies are simply a small and powerless part.
secondly, the novel shares some key thematic concerns with our literature text, Age of Iron. where Coetzee breaks open the etymology of words to reveal new ways of seeing - life is biting the dust, the stupidity of our politicians turns us to stone - Clements considers how the meaning and power we assign to words are inherently linked to notions of authority, and not to be taken for granted. the main character's teacher explicitly calls the dictionary "the law". in a tense scene, where the principal of the school visits the main character's house to talk to his parents about the usage of "frindle" growing out of hand, there is a discussion of how the problem is not the word itself, but that its persistent use seems to be symbolic of a larger defiance against authority.
finally. at one point, the main character's teacher says: this new word is a fad. if you add an e to fad, it becomes fade. i believe this fad will fade.
my primary school self certainly would have liked that. it's something that would be enjoyed by primary schoolers who think saying "therefore this house believes that the motion should sink like the titanic" is clever. i was just a supporter at that debate competition, but it was in the registration hall that a teacher from another school came by and told my school's team to say it. now that i think about it i think she was trying to sabotage us.
so at least my primary school self might have liked this book, because my jc self didn't really. although i think that has more to do with the "macroeconomic policies" notes on my bed, lying open like a dumb mouth. someone please help me i don't want to get D again for prelims
the premise of the book is very simple. boy decides "pen" will henceforth be called "frindle". adults object. but his new word gains popularity anyway. hurray.
slightly embarrassed to say some parts made me laugh. such as boy's teacher confronting him over his antics by saying "i'd like to have a WORD with you."
aside from the occasional joke, the novel contains some serious discussions of prescient issues, a fraction of which i will attempt to surface below.
firstly, points docked due to the capitalist businessman character who trademarks the word frindle and uses it to mass produce pens with "frindle" inscribed on them. the book correctly points out he is entirely driven by greed - for example, the book specifically mentions that he produces "cheap plastic ballpoint pens", subtly implying how his soulless pursuit of profit leads to a disregard for quality and for the environment. in fact, he doesm't even remember the name of the boy whose idea he's stealing. however, the book then celebrates the millions of dollars the boy eventually receives as a share of the profits, describing with glee the mountain bike and computer he buys for himself - uncritically condoning the inherently inethical accumulation of wealth.
in another passage, the main character contemplates organising a peaceful protest against the poor quality of cafeteria food by getting students to bring their own packed lunches until improvements are made. curiously, the blame for the poor quality is placed on the lunch ladies: he was sure those women didn't cook food like that for their families. it is revealing how the novel chooses to blame the poor lunch ladies, who are probably woefully underpaid, instead of the country's education and healthcare systems, of whom the lunch ladies are simply a small and powerless part.
secondly, the novel shares some key thematic concerns with our literature text, Age of Iron. where Coetzee breaks open the etymology of words to reveal new ways of seeing - life is biting the dust, the stupidity of our politicians turns us to stone - Clements considers how the meaning and power we assign to words are inherently linked to notions of authority, and not to be taken for granted. the main character's teacher explicitly calls the dictionary "the law". in a tense scene, where the principal of the school visits the main character's house to talk to his parents about the usage of "frindle" growing out of hand, there is a discussion of how the problem is not the word itself, but that its persistent use seems to be symbolic of a larger defiance against authority.
finally. at one point, the main character's teacher says: this new word is a fad. if you add an e to fad, it becomes fade. i believe this fad will fade.
my primary school self certainly would have liked that. it's something that would be enjoyed by primary schoolers who think saying "therefore this house believes that the motion should sink like the titanic" is clever. i was just a supporter at that debate competition, but it was in the registration hall that a teacher from another school came by and told my school's team to say it. now that i think about it i think she was trying to sabotage us.
so at least my primary school self might have liked this book, because my jc self didn't really. although i think that has more to do with the "macroeconomic policies" notes on my bed, lying open like a dumb mouth. someone please help me i don't want to get D again for prelims
September 24, 2016
when i was 9, we had to move halfway around the globe, and this was one of the maybe three books that i still owned. naturally, i ended up reading it only about a gazillion times.
this book is about nick. nick was the kind of kid i wanted to be (note: i say this in the past tense)
my 9-year-old self would have proclaimed him, in lesser words, the chillest smartass with nerf guns to ever exist. (i’ve grown to realize i hate his kind now.) i looked upon him with a strange mixture of jealousy and admiration.
in a moment of epiphany, he decided he wanted to call a pen a ‘frindle’ instead of ‘pen.’ why? to annoy his english teacher, of course.
enter mrs.granger aka danger granger, the teacher.
here’s a few random facts i remember about her:
1) she could spot you chewing gum from 50 feet away (distance may be subject to inaccuracy- but you get the idea.)
2)she owned a giant mother of a dictionary that took two kids to carry.
3)her eyes were out of a stephen king novel. no, seriously. x-ray vision was casually mentioned at least thrice.
nick manages to infuse chaos with the concept of frindle, and it becomes a world-wide revolution. granger’s powers cannot do anything to stop the frindle wave. instant and overwhelming fame makes nick draw back into his own shell. granger notices this, and she gives him a fun little pep talk and a mysterious post-dated envelope.
an adult metamorphosis late, nick finds out granger was actually helping him. turns out, she was actually proud of nick and only pretending to work against him because “every story needs a villain.” he proceeds to send her a million bucks, and there’s that. all in a very happy and inspiring manner, obviously.
an embarrassingly large chunk of my childhood was influenced by this story: lame attempts at trying to come up with a revolutionary concept like frindle followed. i still don’t know how i managed to make any friends that year.
however, i did end up antagonizing my English teacher, who was the dearest 60-year-old thing in the world (quite the badass, though- she became a certified scuba diver that year and had travelled to 5 continents. those two events were not related.) or so i think- i was probably just the shy, awkward girl mumbling at the back of the class.
the rating is just a pretense- how can you rate something that is a part of your life? it’s practically like rating a toothbrush, except i have a more intimate connection this book (leave it to me to come up with the most irrelevant and uncomfortable analogy ever.)
it’s no ‘alice in wonderland,’ but i suppose this book does have the potential to inspire creativity in a lotta little kiddos. also, nick is just the kewlest dude eva. frindle for lyf.
this book is about nick. nick was the kind of kid i wanted to be (note: i say this in the past tense)
my 9-year-old self would have proclaimed him, in lesser words, the chillest smartass with nerf guns to ever exist. (i’ve grown to realize i hate his kind now.) i looked upon him with a strange mixture of jealousy and admiration.
in a moment of epiphany, he decided he wanted to call a pen a ‘frindle’ instead of ‘pen.’ why? to annoy his english teacher, of course.
enter mrs.granger aka danger granger, the teacher.
here’s a few random facts i remember about her:
1) she could spot you chewing gum from 50 feet away (distance may be subject to inaccuracy- but you get the idea.)
2)she owned a giant mother of a dictionary that took two kids to carry.
3)her eyes were out of a stephen king novel. no, seriously. x-ray vision was casually mentioned at least thrice.
nick manages to infuse chaos with the concept of frindle, and it becomes a world-wide revolution. granger’s powers cannot do anything to stop the frindle wave. instant and overwhelming fame makes nick draw back into his own shell. granger notices this, and she gives him a fun little pep talk and a mysterious post-dated envelope.
an adult metamorphosis late, nick finds out granger was actually helping him. turns out, she was actually proud of nick and only pretending to work against him because “every story needs a villain.” he proceeds to send her a million bucks, and there’s that. all in a very happy and inspiring manner, obviously.
an embarrassingly large chunk of my childhood was influenced by this story: lame attempts at trying to come up with a revolutionary concept like frindle followed. i still don’t know how i managed to make any friends that year.
however, i did end up antagonizing my English teacher, who was the dearest 60-year-old thing in the world (quite the badass, though- she became a certified scuba diver that year and had travelled to 5 continents. those two events were not related.) or so i think- i was probably just the shy, awkward girl mumbling at the back of the class.
the rating is just a pretense- how can you rate something that is a part of your life? it’s practically like rating a toothbrush, except i have a more intimate connection this book (leave it to me to come up with the most irrelevant and uncomfortable analogy ever.)
it’s no ‘alice in wonderland,’ but i suppose this book does have the potential to inspire creativity in a lotta little kiddos. also, nick is just the kewlest dude eva. frindle for lyf.
January 25, 2022
Published 1996. Newbery recipients, January 1997: The View from Saturday (Medal), The Thief, A Girl Named Disaster, The Moorchild, Belle Prater's Boy
...So it was a pretty strong year. But I don't think I'm wrong in saying that Frindle is the most popular of all these titles, strong as they may be (and I say this as someone who loves both The Thief and A View from Saturday, and who credits The Moorchild with her love of fey and changeling stories).
Frindle is real - and warm - and funny - and wise. I know Nick, and I know his friends, and I know his school. And I love love love Mrs. Granger. When I finally go through my books and put together my "awesome fictional English teachers" list, she's heading it.
I love rereading books and finding out how well they hold up, and I love it more when I can simultaneously appreciate them as an adult and remember how important they were to me as a kid. This book was so relatable and normal. And as much as adult-me knows normal is relative, this was such a valuable read growing up.
...So it was a pretty strong year. But I don't think I'm wrong in saying that Frindle is the most popular of all these titles, strong as they may be (and I say this as someone who loves both The Thief and A View from Saturday, and who credits The Moorchild with her love of fey and changeling stories).
Frindle is real - and warm - and funny - and wise. I know Nick, and I know his friends, and I know his school. And I love love love Mrs. Granger. When I finally go through my books and put together my "awesome fictional English teachers" list, she's heading it.
I love rereading books and finding out how well they hold up, and I love it more when I can simultaneously appreciate them as an adult and remember how important they were to me as a kid. This book was so relatable and normal. And as much as adult-me knows normal is relative, this was such a valuable read growing up.
January 24, 2019
4.5/5
I really enjoyed this one thoroughly! Its a great discussion of the importance and development of words, and also about the myriad of different ways that a good teacher (even one who seems terrible at the time because of how strict they are) can impact you as a person.
I really enjoyed this one thoroughly! Its a great discussion of the importance and development of words, and also about the myriad of different ways that a good teacher (even one who seems terrible at the time because of how strict they are) can impact you as a person.
January 1, 2017
Review was originally posted on The Writer's Inkwell
I've been making a point to find books to feature in my future classroom. At the recommendation of some fellow teachers, I was excited to check this particular book out. However, I have to say, I was sorely disappointed in this story, especially when the book feels like there were two story lines smashed together to make a lackluster story.
First of all, I found Nicholas to be an annoying, spoiled brat. Maybe as a child, I would have cheered for his ability to stir up trouble. As an adult, I can't fathom why teachers would recommend this book. I have no problem with the idea of a child coming up with a prank, but this book actually foretells the downfall of our vocabulary as we know it. Frindle is just some random word, yet, even in today's society (twenty years after this book was written) we have words such as bae and twerk in the dictionary. I suppose I should commend the author on his ability to foresee such a thing occurring in the real word. But honestly, as I am not fond of having slang placed into a dictionary and represented as solid vocabulary, this book and the story annoys me. I could not see myself encouraging my students to make up stupid, meaningless words.
However, there was part of the story I liked and that is the way Nicholas is able to think outside of the box. As a teacher, I want to be encouraging to my future students and their pursuits to think outside the box and solve problems. It's because of this aspect of the book, I wish I could tear the book in half.
This isn't the worst book ever and perhaps my opinion is clouded because I am reading it as an adult. But I will not incorporate this into my classroom and would not recommend this book.
I've been making a point to find books to feature in my future classroom. At the recommendation of some fellow teachers, I was excited to check this particular book out. However, I have to say, I was sorely disappointed in this story, especially when the book feels like there were two story lines smashed together to make a lackluster story.
First of all, I found Nicholas to be an annoying, spoiled brat. Maybe as a child, I would have cheered for his ability to stir up trouble. As an adult, I can't fathom why teachers would recommend this book. I have no problem with the idea of a child coming up with a prank, but this book actually foretells the downfall of our vocabulary as we know it. Frindle is just some random word, yet, even in today's society (twenty years after this book was written) we have words such as bae and twerk in the dictionary. I suppose I should commend the author on his ability to foresee such a thing occurring in the real word. But honestly, as I am not fond of having slang placed into a dictionary and represented as solid vocabulary, this book and the story annoys me. I could not see myself encouraging my students to make up stupid, meaningless words.
However, there was part of the story I liked and that is the way Nicholas is able to think outside of the box. As a teacher, I want to be encouraging to my future students and their pursuits to think outside the box and solve problems. It's because of this aspect of the book, I wish I could tear the book in half.
This isn't the worst book ever and perhaps my opinion is clouded because I am reading it as an adult. But I will not incorporate this into my classroom and would not recommend this book.
March 17, 2013
A curious fifth grader named Nick Allen loves to waste time in class. While asking a question to waste time in class, he realized that the only reason that words mean what they mean is because we say they do. Nick decides to conduct an experiment, and soon every student in the fifth grade is playing along. Before Nick knows it, the whole community is consumed in his idea, and it then proceeds to change his town, his country, and his life.
I thought that this book was a fun read. It had nice character development, because the author told a lot of back story about the main character, Nick.I really liked how the author showed the change in the character Mrs. Granger, and it was very effective. The story was fun, and it had an interesting plot and series of events. I would recommend this book to young readers, about 12 and younger, because it is from the point of view of a fifth grader, and it is more understandable in the eyes of a younger person.
I thought that this book was a fun read. It had nice character development, because the author told a lot of back story about the main character, Nick.I really liked how the author showed the change in the character Mrs. Granger, and it was very effective. The story was fun, and it had an interesting plot and series of events. I would recommend this book to young readers, about 12 and younger, because it is from the point of view of a fifth grader, and it is more understandable in the eyes of a younger person.
October 14, 2007
I had forgotten what a cute little book this was. Nick Allen is a prankster who has the art of sidetracking teachers down to a science. However, Mrs. Granger, his fifth grade English teacher, isn't so easy to manipulate. The first time he tries to get her to forget to give out homework, she assigns him extra homework. Thus starts the battle of the frindle.
I loved both Nick and Mrs. Granger. Their battle over the word "frindle" that Nick made up to replace the word "pen" shows how adaptable the English language is and brings a new appreciation for the good old dictionary. Hmmm...it doesn't sound so great the way I described it, but the story is both funny and heartwarming.
I loved both Nick and Mrs. Granger. Their battle over the word "frindle" that Nick made up to replace the word "pen" shows how adaptable the English language is and brings a new appreciation for the good old dictionary. Hmmm...it doesn't sound so great the way I described it, but the story is both funny and heartwarming.
February 19, 2010
No, I'm not pulling the "add books I read when I was 7" card. I read this for a research paper in a linguistics class, determining whether or not the manner in which the word enters the lexicon as it does in Frindle is realistic.
Some excerpts from the aforementioned paper, because hours of work probably deserve to be read by more than one person, plus I'm just haughty or something:
"While seemingly nothing more than a children's book on the surface, Andrew Clement's Frindle deals directly with the idea of introducing a new word into the lexicon. The protagonist, Nick, attempts to do this by replacing the word “pen” with “frindle.” He does this in an effort to annoy his straight-laced English teacher, although he's also motivated by a passage in his dictionaries introduction which reads “every person who has ever spoken or written in English has had a hand in its making” (20). Nick's prank results in the word becoming a widespread phenomenon, eventually taking its place in the dictionary by the end of the book. This poses the question of whether or not Frindle is linguistically realistic. I feel that to a certain extent it is, as the word has the properties of a realistic neologism which allows it to spread and eventually become accepted into the language.
As mentioned earlier, Frindle is a children's book. Yet this doesn't mean that it can't deal with a complex issue such as linguistics. After-all, Clements makes direct reference to Samuel Johnson in addition to a number of other linguistic references, thus depicting the author's knowledge on the subject. I feel that it's Clements intention to depict the complexity of the English language in the midst of an entertaining story aimed at kids."
...
"Despite its seemingly innocent demeanor, I feel that the events in Frindle represent a realistic depiction of how new words are formed. By spreading from community to community, larger and larger, the word proves its usefulness on both a technical and aesthetic level. By having the attributes that allow it grow into widespread use, “frindle” eventually reaches the dictionary. This simulates the real-life steps it takes for a word to reach such heights, especially in a day and age where information travels so quickly. Frindle provides the reader with realistic insight to how new words are formed, all under the guise of a charming children's tale."
Some excerpts from the aforementioned paper, because hours of work probably deserve to be read by more than one person, plus I'm just haughty or something:
"While seemingly nothing more than a children's book on the surface, Andrew Clement's Frindle deals directly with the idea of introducing a new word into the lexicon. The protagonist, Nick, attempts to do this by replacing the word “pen” with “frindle.” He does this in an effort to annoy his straight-laced English teacher, although he's also motivated by a passage in his dictionaries introduction which reads “every person who has ever spoken or written in English has had a hand in its making” (20). Nick's prank results in the word becoming a widespread phenomenon, eventually taking its place in the dictionary by the end of the book. This poses the question of whether or not Frindle is linguistically realistic. I feel that to a certain extent it is, as the word has the properties of a realistic neologism which allows it to spread and eventually become accepted into the language.
As mentioned earlier, Frindle is a children's book. Yet this doesn't mean that it can't deal with a complex issue such as linguistics. After-all, Clements makes direct reference to Samuel Johnson in addition to a number of other linguistic references, thus depicting the author's knowledge on the subject. I feel that it's Clements intention to depict the complexity of the English language in the midst of an entertaining story aimed at kids."
...
"Despite its seemingly innocent demeanor, I feel that the events in Frindle represent a realistic depiction of how new words are formed. By spreading from community to community, larger and larger, the word proves its usefulness on both a technical and aesthetic level. By having the attributes that allow it grow into widespread use, “frindle” eventually reaches the dictionary. This simulates the real-life steps it takes for a word to reach such heights, especially in a day and age where information travels so quickly. Frindle provides the reader with realistic insight to how new words are formed, all under the guise of a charming children's tale."
February 17, 2016
This was a really stellar story, one that encourages children to ask questions about their world. Don't just accept whatever it is that adults tell them. Our protagonist Nick does just that when an innocent prank hatched to tick off his teacher eventually evolves into a school wide campaign to create a brand new word. The story sounds sort of simplistic, but Frindle is an effective, entertaining study of authority and power as it exists in a school and within our society. The book's main characters are allowed to be human and imperfect. Clements is not interested in turning Nick's teacher into a traditional villain, and I appreciated that.
January 28, 2010
hiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!My book is called FRINDLE!!!!!!!!!!Have you read it?its a really good book.HAHA. good book good reads!
April 30, 2025
Finished Reading
Pre-Read notes
I've been getting really lucky with great middle grade reads, from The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown to The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. FRINDLE is a wildly popular book, so I wanted to check it out.
Final Review
You mustn't let a few hard days trick you into clamming up.(1:27:31)
Review summary and recommendations
And I was definitely not disappointed. This is a wonderful story about a young student who gets big ideas, and he wonders if he can change our whole language. The conflict that ensues illustrates a number of important opposing views, from whether or not English should change or stay the same, about who decides this important consideration, and about what it means to challenge a system while operating within its guidelines.
These "big ideas" come to our attention through an inspiring story about authentic characters. It's an intensely smart, warm, and entertaining book. I recommend it to anyone looking for great MG fiction for your students, kids, or the kid inside you. Also, this is a great story about teachers and how they change their students' lives.
Reading Notes
Two things I loved:
1. One things for sure– Nick Allen had plenty of ideas, and he knew what to do with them. (0:01:01) I already love this kid!
2. What an absolutely amazing ending. For me, it completely pulled the book together and took the book from good to great.
No quibbles.
Rating: 🖊️🖊️🖊️🖊️ /5 frindles
Recommend? yes!
Finished: Apr 29 '25
Format: audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
📖 middle grade fiction
🖋️ stories about words and writing
😂 middle grade humor
I found an audiobook copy of FRINDLE by Andrew Clements. All views are mine.
--------------
Pre-Read notes
I've been getting really lucky with great middle grade reads, from The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown to The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. FRINDLE is a wildly popular book, so I wanted to check it out.
Final Review
You mustn't let a few hard days trick you into clamming up.(1:27:31)
Review summary and recommendations
And I was definitely not disappointed. This is a wonderful story about a young student who gets big ideas, and he wonders if he can change our whole language. The conflict that ensues illustrates a number of important opposing views, from whether or not English should change or stay the same, about who decides this important consideration, and about what it means to challenge a system while operating within its guidelines.
These "big ideas" come to our attention through an inspiring story about authentic characters. It's an intensely smart, warm, and entertaining book. I recommend it to anyone looking for great MG fiction for your students, kids, or the kid inside you. Also, this is a great story about teachers and how they change their students' lives.
Reading Notes
Two things I loved:
1. One things for sure– Nick Allen had plenty of ideas, and he knew what to do with them. (0:01:01) I already love this kid!
2. What an absolutely amazing ending. For me, it completely pulled the book together and took the book from good to great.
No quibbles.
Rating: 🖊️🖊️🖊️🖊️ /5 frindles
Recommend? yes!
Finished: Apr 29 '25
Format: audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
📖 middle grade fiction
🖋️ stories about words and writing
😂 middle grade humor
I found an audiobook copy of FRINDLE by Andrew Clements. All views are mine.
--------------
October 14, 2011
1. This book would fall under the category of a junior book, contemporary realism.
2. What is a frindle? It’s a made up word, of course! This book takes you into a fifth grade classroom where Nick dares to take on that teacher – you know, the one who lets nothing get by her. Nick has always had great ideas and a charisma about him that makes his friends follow his lead. He takes the learning from the classroom and applies it to his life.
3. critique
a. The outstanding quality of this book is the author’s narrator selection.
b. The author chose to tell the story from a third-person, limited omniscient perspective. This allows the narrator to tell the story without telling too much of the story before the time comes. The author is able to build tension as the story progresses toward the climax. This enables the reader to see things that Nick would not be privy to, but are absolutely necessary to tell the story.
c. The best example of this is the letter that Mrs. Granger wrote to Nick that was sealed and dated. If the narrator was completely omniscient, the reader would know exactly what the letter said and the story would have no plot. By having limited omniscience, the reader could know what Nick was thinking, what his motivation was, but still know what was going on to other characters in the story. Nick was not aware that the reporter was having a meeting with the principal or that she was sending the story to larger networks. That knowledge was necessary for the story, but would not be known from Nick’s perspective.
4. a curriculum connection
Frindle is a great book that combines the elements of a good storyline with a small amount of learning. The most amazing part of this book is the way the main character connects his lessons from the classroom to his everyday life. The main character is able to take little things from his class work, think about it critically, and apply it to his benefit. Pointing out these instances (the pen and the lunch quality), readers could be encouraged to think about their lessons more critically and possibly apply them to their own lives.
2. What is a frindle? It’s a made up word, of course! This book takes you into a fifth grade classroom where Nick dares to take on that teacher – you know, the one who lets nothing get by her. Nick has always had great ideas and a charisma about him that makes his friends follow his lead. He takes the learning from the classroom and applies it to his life.
3. critique
a. The outstanding quality of this book is the author’s narrator selection.
b. The author chose to tell the story from a third-person, limited omniscient perspective. This allows the narrator to tell the story without telling too much of the story before the time comes. The author is able to build tension as the story progresses toward the climax. This enables the reader to see things that Nick would not be privy to, but are absolutely necessary to tell the story.
c. The best example of this is the letter that Mrs. Granger wrote to Nick that was sealed and dated. If the narrator was completely omniscient, the reader would know exactly what the letter said and the story would have no plot. By having limited omniscience, the reader could know what Nick was thinking, what his motivation was, but still know what was going on to other characters in the story. Nick was not aware that the reporter was having a meeting with the principal or that she was sending the story to larger networks. That knowledge was necessary for the story, but would not be known from Nick’s perspective.
4. a curriculum connection
Frindle is a great book that combines the elements of a good storyline with a small amount of learning. The most amazing part of this book is the way the main character connects his lessons from the classroom to his everyday life. The main character is able to take little things from his class work, think about it critically, and apply it to his benefit. Pointing out these instances (the pen and the lunch quality), readers could be encouraged to think about their lessons more critically and possibly apply them to their own lives.
August 31, 2009
Clements' most popular book! My first introduction to the writing of Andrew Clements was Things Not Seen, which I highly recommend. Although Frindle was written for a younger audience than the "Things" series, I still enjoyed the story and I appreciate the lesson it teaches. Everyone has the ability to make changes happen in the world, no matter how insignificant their impact may seem.
It really is hard to get people to accept a new word when they already have been using another word for the same thing. Reading Frindle, I couldn't help but remember my own language project to eliminate the descriptor "Handicapped" (otherwise known as "the H-word") in reference to people with disabilities. Unlike Nick Allen, I wasn't really trying to replace an existing word but rather eliminate it because it was unnecessary (my main focus was on parking and other signage). Just like Nick, when my letter to the editor was published in our local newspaper, it got responses such as: "show more respect for the dictionary", "stop trying to change our language", "there is no valid reason" etc.
I applaud Andrew Clements for showing that we do indeed create our language, that our language changes and IT'S OKAY! Not only that - I love that Nick tested what he was taught! Very well done!
It really is hard to get people to accept a new word when they already have been using another word for the same thing. Reading Frindle, I couldn't help but remember my own language project to eliminate the descriptor "Handicapped" (otherwise known as "the H-word") in reference to people with disabilities. Unlike Nick Allen, I wasn't really trying to replace an existing word but rather eliminate it because it was unnecessary (my main focus was on parking and other signage). Just like Nick, when my letter to the editor was published in our local newspaper, it got responses such as: "show more respect for the dictionary", "stop trying to change our language", "there is no valid reason" etc.
I applaud Andrew Clements for showing that we do indeed create our language, that our language changes and IT'S OKAY! Not only that - I love that Nick tested what he was taught! Very well done!
April 25, 2009
My mom has raved about this book for a while and so I finally read it. It's a children's book that is both a compelling and imaginative story about a child discovering the power of words and the power of one person to make a big difference in the world.
November 22, 2014
It was great i wish I was nick!!
March 18, 2016
I rate this book 2 stars because it is somewhat funny but mostly boring because it's just about a boy that calls a pen, a frindle.
May 15, 2019
O povestire frumoasă despre un băiețel inteligent și o profesoară înțeleaptă!
August 26, 2024
I had never heard of this book until a few days ago when I read an article about the sequel, which is about to be published.
I realize that I am MANY years older than the intended audience, but a YA book about a boy who is fascinated by the idea of how words come into being seemed delightful. It was short, as good as I hoped, and relaxed me as I had hoped. Much better than tranquiliziers but perhaps just as addictive.
4+++ rounded up due to its effect on my mood, a perfect book when you have had a DREADFUL day and need pure enjoyment that is not stupid!
Now I have to search for the sequel!
I realize that I am MANY years older than the intended audience, but a YA book about a boy who is fascinated by the idea of how words come into being seemed delightful. It was short, as good as I hoped, and relaxed me as I had hoped. Much better than tranquiliziers but perhaps just as addictive.
4+++ rounded up due to its effect on my mood, a perfect book when you have had a DREADFUL day and need pure enjoyment that is not stupid!
Now I have to search for the sequel!
July 17, 2020
من هذا اليوم وللأبد
لن أستخدم كلمة قلم
مرة أخرى بدلاً من ذلك،
سأستعمل كلمة "فريندل"
وسأفعل كل شيء ممكن
ليستعملها الآخرون أيضا !
نيك مفكر جيد إنه دائماً ما يأتي بأفكار ذكية ومضحكة
ذات يوم بعد درس السيدة " جرانجر"
فكرة لمعت في عقله لماذا نسمي "القلم" قلماً؟
لماذا لا نسميه "فريندل" إنه اسم أفضل أليس كذلك؟ ومنذ ذلك اليوم بدأ يعمل لجعل كلمته مفيدة ككلمة "قلم". الكثير من المشاكل تعترض طريقه والكثير من الأشياء المجنونة تحدث له .
رأيي:
الفكرة الكتاب ذكية جدا..
لقد احببته حقا ؛ شخصية نيك كانت عظيمة ��مناسبو للقصة.
أحببت النهاية كثيراً :)
From this day on
And forever, I will
never use the word
Pen again .Instead,
I will use the word
FRINDLE ,and I
Will do everything
Possible so others
Will ,too .
Nick is a really good thinker ..
His always bring smart ideas and his funny too . One day after Mrs Granger class an idea sparks in his mind ! Why we call "pen "a pen ? Why we can't call it " frindle"
it's a better name isn't it ?
And from that day he starts working to make his word useful as "pen “ word .
A lot of problems across his way ..
And a lot of insane things happen.
My opinion :
• the idea is so smart itself ..I really like it.
• the character of Nick was great and perfect to the story.
I like the ending too much .
لن أستخدم كلمة قلم
مرة أخرى بدلاً من ذلك،
سأستعمل كلمة "فريندل"
وسأفعل كل شيء ممكن
ليستعملها الآخرون أيضا !
نيك مفكر جيد إنه دائماً ما يأتي بأفكار ذكية ومضحكة
ذات يوم بعد درس السيدة " جرانجر"
فكرة لمعت في عقله لماذا نسمي "القلم" قلماً؟
لماذا لا نسميه "فريندل" إنه اسم أفضل أليس كذلك؟ ومنذ ذلك اليوم بدأ يعمل لجعل كلمته مفيدة ككلمة "قلم". الكثير من المشاكل تعترض طريقه والكثير من الأشياء المجنونة تحدث له .
رأيي:
الفكرة الكتاب ذكية جدا..
لقد احببته حقا ؛ شخصية نيك كانت عظيمة ��مناسبو للقصة.
أحببت النهاية كثيراً :)
From this day on
And forever, I will
never use the word
Pen again .Instead,
I will use the word
FRINDLE ,and I
Will do everything
Possible so others
Will ,too .
Nick is a really good thinker ..
His always bring smart ideas and his funny too . One day after Mrs Granger class an idea sparks in his mind ! Why we call "pen "a pen ? Why we can't call it " frindle"
it's a better name isn't it ?
And from that day he starts working to make his word useful as "pen “ word .
A lot of problems across his way ..
And a lot of insane things happen.
My opinion :
• the idea is so smart itself ..I really like it.
• the character of Nick was great and perfect to the story.
I like the ending too much .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,274 reviews