Frindle

Rating:
Summary: Success!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: The frindle is mightier than the sword
Review: At long last! An early reader chapter book designed to give full all-encompassing glory to language itself! Sort of. I first heard about "Frindle" some five years ago when it was burning up the bookshelves across the country. Kids couldn't get enough of the semi-raucous tale of one boy's attempt to make a contribution to the English language. Cleverly, author Andrew Clements has created a book that doesn't fall back into the old good vs. bad/teacher vs. student riff we all know so well. Though a book that is written with fairly young readers in mind, it successfully renders huge themes in bite size portions.

Nick Allen is used to getting great ideas. Who could forget his fabulous third grade attempts to turn his classroom into a sunny tropical isle in the dead of winter? Or his successful utilization of bird calls to annoy a fourth grade prof? But now Nick has come across a real challenge and her name is Granger. Mrs. Granger. As the woman in charge of the elementary school's language arts, Mrs. Granger is a true aficionado of the wonders of the dictionary. After tangling, and losing, with the clever teacher, Nick springs upon a brilliant idea. Why not add his own little word to the world's vocabulary? The idea comes to him in a flash, and before you know it he's grabbed the nearest pen and renamed it "frindle". As Mrs. Granger retaliates, defending (what in her mind is) the perfectly serviceable and already existing word "pen", frindle's popularity and publicity grows and grows. Yet in the end, it seems as though Nick was playing into Mrs. Granger's plans all along.

Accompanied by the really well wrought and beautifully designed illustrations of Brian Selznick, the book is just a low-key amusing look at how words affect people. Clements includes an array of interesting facts and ideas, some of which even adults will find themselves astounded by. For example, the book states that in 1791 a Dublin theater manager made up the word, "quiz" on a bet and that this word was (until the creation of "frindle") the only word in the English language made up for no particular reason. I tried to ascertain if this was true by glancing through my impossibly old Webster's Third New International Dictionary. When I looked up "quiz" I hit the following sentence: Unknown origin. That's proof enough for me, though I'm sure a glance through the OED would clear everything up. And how many books written with middle readers in mind give you such clever facts couched in an interesting story? I was delighted with the characters in this book. From clever Nick and his ideas to Mrs. Granger, an adult who is truly an intelligent match. Any villainy this book presents later turns out to be no more than a clever ruse. So kudos for giving teachers the credit they deserve at last! Kudos indeed.

A good pairing of books of this reading level with similar protagonists would be "Frindle" and the slightly more recent Lois Lowry offering "Gooney Bird Greene". Both books observe the use of language and how it affects us and both have clever red headed protagonists that defy all expectations. I doubt you could find two better books to present to kids with the hopes of getting them involved in reading. I give "Frindle" an especially warm recommendation and I am sure kids will be inspired by it. Go! Read! Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Can you make a Word?
Review: Clements writes a funny and fast-paced story about a 5th grader named, Nick Allen. Nick Allen is a typical, 'class clown,' always trying to distract his teachers. One day, Nick's Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, teaches the students about the dictionary and the origin of words. This strikes Nick's interest in coming up with his own word. Nick begins to call a ball point pen a frindle, and before long his friends are using the word. The word, frindle, does not stop there; instead it spreads like wild fire among the school and even the town. The teachers are outraged by the popularity of the word that Nick made up. Even Mrs. Granger gives out detentions because of the word, frindle. Mrs. Granger and Nick continue to butt heads throughout the book, until finally they learn to appreciate one another. Will the popularity of the word, frindle land it a spot in the dictionary?

I enjoyed Clements clever and witty book, 'Frindle.' Children would find this book hard to put down, like I did, with its constant and easy to understand humor. They can read about a boy who takes on his teacher, his school and the world in a way, with his word invention. He is a student that is ordinarily seen as the class clown, who chooses to go against the grain. Although, he may have invented the word out of pure orneriness, he did prove to be very determined and persistent in keeping the word in circulation. This book will encourage the reader, no matter what their role is in the classroom.
Although some of the situations in the book seem wild and highly unrealistic as an adult, kids would be easily captivated by them. The majority of the book seems very realistic and also very easy for children to relate to. A good number of children have probably tired to invent a word or an object at some point in their life, so this story will hit home for them. If not, the mischief and ornery nature of Nick Allen will indeed hit home.

Rating:
Summary: Funny Word For a Pen
Review: Frindle is a humorous realistic fiction story by Andrew Clements. Nick Allen was an inventor, because he created a word called frindle. Frindle means a pen. Ms. Granger is a language teacher who hates the word frindle and wants everybody to use the word pen. All of then America hears about the new word that Nick Allen invented, so Ms. Granger can't make everybody to use the word pen. In the book Frindle it took place in Lincoln Elementary School, which is where Nick's school is. This book took in the modern times. Nick Allen called a pen frindle because one time Nick and Janet Fisk had missed the bus because of the school newspaper meeting. They walked home together and then while they were walking Janet dropped her pen out of her pocket. Nick help Janet pick it up and said, "Here is your frindle!" That was when he changed the word pen in to the word frindle. If you want a humorous story then read the book Frindle by Andrew Clements. I recommend this book to all of the 4th and 5th graders because it had Great detail, zippy beginning and ending, and most of all interesting words.

Rating:
Summary: A New Word For Pen!!!!
Review: Frindle

Frindle, the realistic story by Andrew Clements, is about a boy called Nick, who is very intelligent and creative. He is very kind and likes to think of new ideas and do his own things. He is not particularly bad, but somehow he seems to get himself into lots of trouble.
The story is set in New Hampshire in America. It is written in modern times. The title of the book is Frindle and this is the new word Nick has created for a pen. Nick called a pen a frindle because he questioned why a pen was called a pen. Nick has just started fifth grade and his language arts teacher is Ms Granger. Everybody hates her because she is mean and makes all the children look up their mistakes in the dictionary. Ms Granger loves her dictionary and she tries to make the children use it a lot.
One day after school, Nick was walking home with his friend Janet Fisk. Janet saw a pen lying on the ground, she picked it up and it slipped out of her hand again. Nick picked it up and handed it to her and for some strange reason, he said, "Here is your Frindle." As he said this, he had a great idea; he said, "Hey, instead of the word pen, why don't we call it a frindle." The next day Nick was telling everyone about his new word, frindle. Ms Granger got irritated with Nick and told him to stop using the nonsense word. A week later the principal requested to see Nick's parents about Nick and his new word frindle. The principal asked Nick's parents to tell Nick to stop using his made up word.
Unbelievably other strange things happen, with the use of the new word. If you want to hear about the rest of this story read this fabulous and great book Frindle.
I recommend this book, because the characters are believable and funny. It is not like any normal school classroom. Once you start reading the book, you won't want to put it down. The pages will be turned quickly. Nick is half cool and a bit geeky, but you can't help but like him.

Rating:
Summary: CO000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooool Book Ever Writen!!
Review: I love this book! I like the chacters and the teachers and children! I never seen or read a book better than this! I think EVERYONE will enjoy this book! Read it!

Rating:
Summary: Putting Frindle to Paper
Review: Mischievous Nicholas Allen, a fifth grader, invents the word "frindle as a replacement for "pen" when his teacher explains that words become words because we all decide what goes into dictionaries. To his teacher's dismay he convinces his friends to swear off the word "pen" and use "frindle" instead everywhere. His teacher unsucessfully tries to stop this with penalties. Despite his teacher and his principal's efforts "frindle" catches on and soon the whole school is defiantly using that word exclusively. The word spreads around town when a local paper picks up the story. Eventually the whole country hears about this new fad as Nick ends up on national broadcast television talking about frindles.

"Frindle" is a heartwarming and funny little book. I read the book in one sitting, with a smile on my face the whole time. Yes, this is a children's book, but adults will love it as well.

Rating:
Summary: Great gift for kids 3rd-6th grade
Review: This is a great book. Not only is it entertaining and funny and a quick read, but it's one of the favorite books that I give as gifts to kids because it sends such great messages: what you learn in school matters in the "real" world; it encourages creativity and emphasizes the importance and impact one person's idea can have; it portrays a wonderful relationship between teacher and student where they both learn from each other and help each other grow. It also teaches a classroom lesson about how words are formed without making you feel tricked into learning.

This is the story of a student, Nick, who decides one day to test if what he learned in school about how words are formed is true. He starts calling a pen a "frindle" and gets other students to do the same. The magnitude of the outcome is far greater than he ever expected. This book isn't just about the frindle story but about how Nick matures through this experience. Again, lots of good lessons as I mentioned above.

I'm really careful about the books that I give as gifts to make sure that there are no ideas that parents would be uncomfortable with. This is 100% entertaining reading and good lessons that don't feel forced. Make sure you don't skip the chapter titles in Clements' books either-- they're pretty clever and add to the fun. (Especially in Landry News and School Story)

Rating:
Summary: The greatest book
Review: You have to read "Frindle". This is a great book, full of adventure. This book is about a boy named Nick Allen who makes up a word, frindle. Nick Allen is a troublemaker. He always finds some goofy idea and gets himself into trouble. One day he and his friend find a pen. Nick knocks his friend down and says, "Here's your frindle" (instead of saying pen).

Nick started saying frindle whereever he went. So the whole entire school started to say that word. It just so happens that Nick has the worst language arts teacher ever. Her name is Mrs. Granger. She doesn't like the word frindle and she wants Nick to top put a stop to that word.

This book is great for people that love excitement. This book is all about Nick and how he gets into trouble. It made me want to keep on reading.The author of this book is a great writer. Andrew Clements is the author for this book so try to read this book and I'm sure you will love it.