Product Description

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker?

He really just likes to liven things up at school -- and he's always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he's got the inspiration for his best plan ever...the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn't belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there's nothing Nick can do to stop it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5457 in Books
• Published on: 1998-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780689818769
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Trying to aggravate a tough language-arts teacher, a fifth-grade boy invents a new word for pen: "frindle." Soon, the whole country is using it. "Dictionary lovers will cotton to this mild classroom fantasy," said PW. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 3^-6. 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. Kay Weisman

From Kirkus Reviews
Nicholas is a bright boy who likes to make trouble at school, creatively. When he decides to torment his fifth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Granger (who is just as smart as he is), by getting everyone in the class to replace the word ``pen'' with ``frindle,'' he unleashes a series of events that rapidly spins out of control. If there's any justice in the world, Clements (Temple Cat, 1995, etc.) may have something of a classic on his hands. By turns amusing and adroit, this first novel is also utterly satisfying. The chess like sparring between the gifted Nicholas and his crafty teacher is enthralling, while Mrs. Granger is that rarest of the breed: a teacher the children fear and complain about for the school year, and love and respect forever after. With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating tale--one to press upon children, and one they'll be passing among themselves. (Fiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Fabulous!
I read this book in 5th grade; that was two years ago. I had almost forgotten I owned it, and what it was about. But I was alphabetizing my books earlier this year, and accidentally flipped to the first page. I started reading it without even really noticing, and it wasn't until I was almost done that I realized I had been sitting there for over an hour reading. I love this book. It is very creative and wonderful. Nick, the main character, sort of remind me of myself. Making up an alternate name for something seems like the kind of thing I might do. Me and my friends were saying "frindle" instead of "pen" after we read this spectacular book in 5th grade. We could relate to all the characters. We didn't especially like the teacher, whose name I can't remember at the moment. And we all wanted to read it again and again after finishing it the first time, and I did just that. It was one of my favorite books in 5th grade, and it is still a masterpiece today. A must-read for fans of "The Chicken Doesn't Skate" and other humorous fiction books along those lines.

One of the best kid's books I've read
As an elementary school librarian, I can say that "Frindle" is one of the finest books for intermediate grades I have read in a long time. I only regret that I didn't read it years ago, so I could've been recommending it to teachers to read-aloud and to students who would like a humorous, yet thought-provoking, story.

Like most successful books for kids, "Frindle" works on many different levels. It's funny, fast-paced, and while the main character, Nick, is kind of a class clown, he has qualities that even a mean teacher like Mrs. Granger would like. And even though Mrs. Granger has a reputation for being strict, she also earns the respect of children and parents. While some situations are a bit far-fetched, this story is still quite realistic. We get a glimpse how a seemingly insignificant event at a small town elementary school through a media-frenzy becomes an international phenomenon. Can anyone say "fad?"

3rd through 6th grade teachers should consider reading this book about the invention of a new word, "frindle," to their classes. Both teachers and students will enjoy it.

Success!
Absolutely Wonderful! This book is engaging for all ages and a must read for every middle-grade class. A heart warming and funny story -- a parent's dream come true. It is about a student named Nick Allen, who decides to create a new word. His Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger has a real passion for the english vocabulary and the uses of a dictionary. But after Nick's insistence, his friends and schoolmates begin using his word ... frindle. Much to his teacher's dismay, it becomes so popular that everyone is using it. Many escapades ensue (after-school punishments, principal visits, local and national publicity, local entrepreneurial opportunities and finally, true acceptance of the word and inclusion in the dictionary. In the end, both student and teacher form a strong appreciation for one another and a bond that cannot be broken.