rebecca_oneil 's review for:

Frindle by Andrew Clements

4.0

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Loved it! This book was a breeze to read, but not light on making the reader think. Fifth grader Nick is "an expert at asking the delaying question -- also known as the teacher-stopper, or the guaranteed-time-waster...Nick could launch a question guaranteed to sidetrack the teacher long enough to delay or even wipe out the homework assignment." So when Nick attempts to derail the infamous Mrs. Granger with the question "where do words come from?," he has no idea that she'll get the better of him by making him look it up himself -- or that he'll then be inspired to make up his own word for "pen" -- "frindle." Making up words is not something that a dictionary-worshipper like Mrs. Granger can tolerate, but "frindle" takes on a life of its own! You'll definitely end up thinking more about free speech and academic rules than you ever thought a 100-page "funny book" could make you do. Would also be great as a classroom readaloud.