Frindle by Andrew Clements

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Word Origins, Dictionary, Language,
Grade Level: 3-5
Curriculum Connections: English (dictionary, word origins), Social Studies (mass media, communications, marketing), Math (finance, investments)

Nick Allen invents a new word, frindle, to use instead of the word pen. Mrs. Granger, his English teacher, has given them a lesson on words, the dictionary, and where words come from, so Nick has decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, Mrs. Granger is not amused by his new word and bans it. This taboo word promptly takes off in popularity with the other fifth graders. Frindle then spreads through the school. When the local media gets wind of it, the word really starts growing in popularity and use. Eventually, Nick and Mrs. Granger learn a lesson about words that could never be learned in a classroom alone.

Classroom Suggestions:

1. Student will be clamoring to create their own new words. Give it a try!

2. Frindle could be used as a springboard into a lesson or unit on using the dictionary. Teachers could expand the use of dictionaries to online dictionaries. Lessons could include how dictionaries are used and the information they contain.