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Quick answer: If your child loves Frindle, try Andrew Clements's Lunch Money and The Landry News, then Holes, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Wonder and The Westing Game. All are clever, funny school stories about children who think for themselves.
Andrew Clements's 1996 novel follows Nick Allen, a fifth grader who invents a new word, frindle, for a pen, and turns it into a school-wide movement against his teacher, Mrs. Granger. It is smart, funny and a favourite in classrooms. The books below offer similar stories of clever kids and school life.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch Money | Andrew Clements | Ages 8-12 | young entrepreneur |
| The Landry News | Andrew Clements | Ages 8-12 | school newspaper |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | Ages 9-13 | mystery and humour |
| Sideways Stories from Wayside School | Louis Sachar | Ages 7-11 | absurd school |
| Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | Judy Blume | Ages 7-11 | family comedy |
| Fudge-a-Mania | Judy Blume | Ages 8-12 | summer chaos |
| Freckle Juice | Judy Blume | Ages 6-9 | schemes and gullibility |
| Skinnybones | Barbara Park | Ages 8-12 | wisecracking narrator |
| Matilda | Roald Dahl | Ages 7-12 | clever child |
| Wonder | R. J. Palacio | Ages 8-12 | kindness |
| The Westing Game | Ellen Raskin | Ages 10-14 | puzzle classic |
| The Mysterious Benedict Society | Trenton Lee Stewart | 9-13 | readers who like puzzles |
| Because of Mr. Terupt | Rob Buyea | 9–13 | great teachers |
| Hoot | Carl Hiaasen | 10-14 | humour and nature |
| Ungifted | Gordon Korman | Ages 9-13 | school comedy |
1. Lunch Money by Andrew Clements
A boy starts a business selling comic books at school. Funny and clever.
Best for: young entrepreneur.
2. The Landry News by Andrew Clements
A girl starts a newspaper in her classroom. Smart and fast.
Best for: school newspaper.
3. Holes by Louis Sachar
A boy is sent to a camp where he must dig holes. Clever and moving.
Best for: mystery and humour.
4. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Odd things happen on the thirtieth floor of a school built sideways. Short chapters, big laughs.
Best for: absurd school.
5. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Peter's little brother Fudge makes every day chaotic. Classic, warm and laugh-out-loud funny.
Best for: family comedy.
6. Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume
Peter's family shares a summer house with his enemy's family. Fast and silly.
Best for: summer chaos.
7. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
A boy pays for a recipe that promises freckles. A short, silly story for younger readers.
Best for: schemes and gullibility.
8. Skinnybones by Barbara Park
A baseball-loving boy uses humour to hide his worries. Quick and cheeky.
Best for: wisecracking narrator.
9. Matilda by Roald Dahl
A brilliant girl uses her wits against awful adults. Funny, dark and beloved.
Best for: clever child.
10. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
A boy with a facial difference starts school. A modern classic.
Best for: kindness.
11. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Sixteen heirs compete to solve a millionaire's death. Clever and funny.
Best for: puzzle classic.
12. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Four clever kids go on a secret mission. Puzzles and teamwork.
Best for: readers who like puzzles.
13. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
A new teacher changes the lives of seven fifth graders. Told in alternating voices.
Best for: great teachers.
14. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
A boy in Florida meets a runaway and tries to save burrowing owls. Funny and full of local color.
Best for: humour and nature.
15. Ungifted by Gordon Korman
A mistake sends an average kid to a gifted school. Warm, funny and surprising.
Best for: school comedy.
How to Choose
For more Clements begin with Lunch Money or The Landry News. For funny school stories choose Holes, Wayside School or Skinnybones. For family comedy pick Judy Blume. For puzzles read The Westing Game. For kindness try Wonder. Frindle is a great read-aloud, so these picks suit classroom and family reading. Frindle has been a classroom favourite for decades, and teachers often use it for lessons on how language changes. The word frindle really did make its way into a dictionary in the story, and some real dictionaries have noted it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Frindle about?
A boy invents a new word and starts a movement against his teacher.
Who wrote it?
Andrew Clements.
When was it published?
1996.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 8 to 12.
Is it a good read-aloud?
Yes, for classrooms.
Is it funny?
Yes.
Is there a sequel?
No, though Clements wrote many other school stories.
What should we read next?
Try Lunch Money or Holes.
Which book here is best for absurd school?
Try Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, which suits readers looking for absurd school.
Which book here is best for schemes and gullibility?
Try Freckle Juice by Judy Blume, which suits readers looking for schemes and gullibility.
Which book here is best for kindness?
Try Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which suits readers looking for kindness.
Which book here is best for great teachers?
Try Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea, which suits readers looking for great teachers.
Which book here is best for school newspaper?
Try The Landry News by Andrew Clements, which suits readers looking for school newspaper.
Which book here is best for family comedy?
Try Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, which suits readers looking for family comedy.