Book Recommendation: Frindle

posted by Gina

Author: Andrew Clements

Age Range: 5^th and 6^th Grade
This book is also an excellent choice for your high-level-reading 2^nd/3^rd Grader (or as a read-aloud for the same) and – dare I say it – can be appreciated and enjoyed well into middle school.  I read this book every time I need to feel really good about the world.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, School Story

Let’s Talk About This, Shall We?

I freaking love words.  During that long-ago year I blundered my way through teaching Kindergarten (we will not speak of this again), my favorite activity was teaching the kiddos a huge, impressive word, then hearing about their parents’ reactions when they used it casually in conversation.  (Nothing more hilarious than a 5 year old saying, “You know, Ms. Gina, I think a jacket would be superfluous today.”)

I keep lists of fun words, favorite words, other people’s favorite words (did you know that all Irish bartenders in New York will claim a swear word as their favorite? And that more people will choose ‘plethora’ than any other word?  It’s true).

This book is about words, a teacher who loves the dictionary, and a kid who wants to know why.  “Why do we call a pen a pen?” he asks, and, upon hearing the intriguing answer that, Latin roots aside, we just collectively agree that “pen” means what it does, decides to test this theory.  

From Mr. Clements’ official website: “When Nick learns an interesting tidbit about words and where they come from, it inspires his greatest plan yet: to invent a new word. From now on, a pen is no longer a pen — it’s a frindle.”

Encouraging kids to ask why?  Fabulous!  Conducting social science experiments?  Also fabulous!  Doing so in a totally respectful, awesome-kid like way?  Couldn’t be more fabulous.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot and risk giving away a crucial point – suffice to say that you’ll want to make this a read-aloud and will hang on every word along with your kid.   Be prepared, though, to get all choked up at the ending and risk your 4^th grader rolling her eyes at you.

If You Like This, Try:

Anything by Andrew Clements.  Seriously, every gosh-darn thing that man has written has across-the-board appeal, and every one is chock-full of related projects just waiting to be thought up by a teacher or parent. (Lunch Money, The Landry News, and No Talking are my personal favorites.)

But also:

• E.L. Konigsburg (Silent to the Bone, The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place)
• Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Loser)
• And, if you somehow missed it, Holes, by Louis Sachar.  This, by the way, is the absolute best read-aloud in the world.  I taught a reading class that ranged from 2^nd graders to 6^th graders and every one of them hung on my every word when I read this book.  (But please, for my sake, avoid the movie.) Louis Sachar also has a number of excellent other books, including the Sideways Stories from Wayside School series, There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom, and Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes.  (Do not judge these on their terrible, terrible covers.)

And if this makes you or your offspring excited about words?  I highly recommend picking up a Dictionary of Difficult Words. There is nothing more fun than skimming through, picking a completely bizarre, overly specific word (jentacular!) and trying to use it as many times as possible that day.  Encourage your kid to flummox and/or impress their peers and teachers!