Frindle (1996) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

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• Nick Allen: Fifth grader, tries to be rebellious by calling a pen a "frindle."
• Mrs. Granger: Nick's teacher. She seems against the idea of calling a pen a frindle because she loves the dictionary and proper use of language.
• Room 4: Students in a year 3 - 4 class at Lawrence Area School in New Zealand
• Nick: main character
• Judy Morgan: Add a description of this character.
• John
• Mrs. Avery
• Bud Lawrence: He's the guy that makes all of the frindle supplies: t-shirts, pens, notebooks, etc.
• Alice
• Tom

Quotes edit see section history

• “Use the dictionary; that's what it's there for.”

  Mrs. Granger

• “I am writing this punishment with a frindle.”

  The students in detention for using the word, "frindle."

• “Who says that 'dog' means dog?”

  Mrs. Granger and Nick's reflective thoughts

• “To be called whatever the user wants to call it.”

  What Nick had written on the gold pen for Mrs. Granger.

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• When Nick ran into a word he didn’t know, he asked his brother or his dad or whoever was handy what it meant, and if they knew, they’d tell him. But not Mrs. Granger. He had heard all about her, and he had seen fifth graders in the library last year, noses stuck in their dictionaries, frantically trying to finish their vocabulary sheets before English class. It was still a week before school and Nick already felt like fifth grade was going to be a very long year.

  Highlighted by 28 Kindle customers

• at that table listening to Mrs. Granger’s battle cry: “Look it up? That’s why we have the dictionary.”

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• But if all of us in this room decided to call that creature something else, and if everyone else did, too, then that’s what it would be called, and one day it would be written in the dictionary that way. We decide what goes in that book.”

  Highlighted by 25 Kindle customers

• how many of the thirty-five words for the week the kids already knew. Tremble, circular, orchestra—the list went on and on. Nick knew most of them.

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• the heading should look on every assignment. No letup for thirty-seven minutes straight.

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• “Gwagala, gwagala, gwagala,” until someone put the cassette in the machine and turned it on.

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Carrington
• Lincoln

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• frindle: a device use to write or make marks with ink

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Student rebellion: Nick being intelligent and creative makes waves which go against the rules of Mrs. Granger, the strict and only fifth grade language arts teacher.
• Old guard versus innovation: Describe this theme.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Andrew Clements (Author) - Live in Wocester,MA

Other Contributors:

1. Brian Selznick (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award (1999, #1)
• Beehive Award (Utah) (2000: Grades 3-6, #1)
• Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Maryland) (1999: Grades 4-6, #1)
• Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Arkansas) (1998-1999: Grades 4-6, #1)
• Christopher Award (1997: Books for Young People, #1)
• Children's Crown Award (1998-1999: Grades 3-6, #1)
• Delaware Diamonds (1999: Grades 3-4, #1)
• Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (North Dakota) (2001: Juvenile Fiction, #1)
• Georgia Children's Book Award (1999: Grades 4-8, #1)
• Golden Sower Award (Nebraska) (1999: Intermediate, Honor)
• Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan) (2001: Grades 4-5, Honor Book)
• Great Stone Face Award (New Hampshire) (1998, #1)
• Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature (1997, Honor Book)
• Massachusetts Children's Book Award (1999, #1)
• Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award (Minnesota) (1999: Division I, #1)
• Nevada Young Readers' Award (1999, #1)
• North Carolina Children's Book Award (1999: Junior Book, #1)
• Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award (2000: Grades 3-6, Winner)
• Prairie Pasque Award (South Dakota) (1999, #1)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Illinois) (1999, #1)
• Rhode Island Children's Book Award (1998, #1)
• Sasquatch Reading Award (Washington) (1999, #1)
• Voice of Youth Award (Finalist, 2005-2006, #2)
• William Allen White Children's Book Award (Kansas) (1999, #1)
• Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana) (1999: Grades 4-6, #1)
• Young Reader's Choice Award (Pacific Northwest) (1999: Youth, #1)

Notes for Parents edit see section history

This novel has a strong message about the proper use of language, the significance of a dictionary, community and how young people can create good and bad changes in life. It also show's parent's how kids can change their teachers mind's.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Reference › Words & Language › Etymology
• Books › Children's Books › Literature › Humorous
• Books › Children's Books › Ages 9-12