Nicholas Allen is not a troublemaker — he's just creative. When he decides to liven things up in Mrs. Granger's fifth grade language arts class, he comes up with the greatest plan yet. He invents a new word for a pen — frindle. It doesn't take long for frindle to take root and soon the excitement spreads beyond the school and town and unleashes a series of events that rapidly spins out of control.
Publishers Weekly - Publisher's 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. (Feb.)
Children's Literature - Judy Silverman
Fifth grader Nicholas Allen finds out that dictionaries were actually written by people. He realizes that someone, somewhere, must have decided what certain words meant and wrote them down. But what would have happened if a different word had been chosen to represent, for instance, the instrument we write with? You know, the one with the ink in it, that you push the button and the point comes out? What if it was called a frindle? Nicholas and his friends experiment with frindle until the word has a life of its own. This story is terrific, and Nicholas' teacher, Mrs. Granger, is a dead ringer for my fifth grade teacher! One really unusual aspect of the book is that we actually find out what Nicholas is like when he's a junior in college!
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6Nicholas Allen, a sharp, creative, independent thinker starts fifth grade looking for a way to sabotage his Language Arts class. The teacher, Mrs. Granger, is a legend, and he believes her when she states that it is the people who decide what words go into the dictionary. Picking up a dropped pen triggers a brilliant idea. He coins a new word for pen-frindle. It's all for fun, but frindle catches on and Nick finds himself on the "Late Show" and "Good Morning America" explaining his new word. Readers will chuckle from beginning to end as they recognize themselves and their classrooms in the cast of characters. A remarkable teacher's belief in the power of words shines through the entire story, as does a young man's tenacity in proving his point. Outstanding and witty.Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA
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.
From the Publisher
"Will have readers smiling all the way through...hilarious." — The Horn Book, starred review"A captivating tale — one to press upon children, and one they'll be passing among themselves." — Kirkus, pointered review
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