Andrew Clements' children's book, Frindle, is the story of Nick Allen who sets out to answer the question of whether a group of fifth graders can impact the English language. Nick begins using the word “frindle” instead of “pen,” and he encourages his friends to do the same. Local news interest turns into national news and a franchise line. Ten years later, Nick discovers the teacher he thought was completely against the trend was actually proud of him for proving how language changes as people accept new words. The novel's main themes are the role of a teacher, control and lack of control, and an individual's ability to influence society.
