Frindle



//Frindle//- Andrew Clements Pictures: Brian Selznick Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (February 1, 1998) Hardcover: $13.43 (Amazon.com) ISBN-13: 978-0689818769 Pages: 105 Age Range: 8 and up Language: English
 * Bibliographical Data**:

//Frindle// is about a boy named Nick Allen who comes up with his own special word- frindle. Frindle is a word that means the same thing as pen. Nick’s fifth grade Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, is anything but thrilled with this new word. Mrs. Granger sticks to the dictionary and words that have meaning. She does not like the word Frindle because it has no meaning; why give something like pen a new, meaningless name, when the word pen itself has meaning behind it. First Nick and five of his close friends start using the word frindle, and eventually everyone in school and in town start to use the word. Mrs. Granger wants Nick to end this nonsense but he can’t do it. Frindle is not a part of everyone’s vocabulary and there is nothing he can do to stop it.
 * Summary**:

//Frindle// is a great story about language that readers of all ages will enjoy. It is a story of humor and originality. Nick learned that words had to start somewhere and he wanted to start his own word. Through determination, and his rebel-like personality, he used the word frindle instead of pen, despite the consequences. The word became so popular, that people all around the town started using the word frindle. This book is a perfect example that creativity goes a long way. The word frindle no longer belongs to Nick Allen, but instead to everyone who chooses to use it. This book will show readers how strong creativity can be, and will spark their own imaginations. //Frindle// teaches the reader just how powerful words are and how important words are to some people. //Frindle// is an all around excellent book.
 * Book Review**:

Andrew Clements lives in Westborough, Massachusetts with his wife and four kids. He taught in public schools near Chicago for seven years before moving to the East to begin a publishing career. He is also the author of //Billy and the Bad Teacher// and //Big Al//. He got the idea for //Frindle// after a talk he gave about writing to a group of second graders.
 * Author Biography**:

The plot development in //Frindle// is fairly obvious throughout the story. In fifth grade Language Arts class, Nick Allen learns that we give words their meaning because we use them in a certain context. Nick decides that he is going to create his own word to mean pen-frindle. His language arts teacher does not like this new word, and tries to get Nick to stop. But Nick no longer has control over the word; everyone is using it and he cannot stop it. After numerous attempts to try to discipline kids for using a pretend word, the school is unable to end it. The word frindle is now used all over the country, and people are selling frindles instead of pens. Nick is the proud starter of the word frindle, and during his junior year of college he gets to see his creative mind pay off when frindle is officially added to the dictionary. Frindle is a high-quality story that makes the reader want to see what happens next.
 * Literary Elements**:

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