Happy Birthday, Andrew Clements!
In celebration of Andrew Clements’ 65th birthday (born in May, 1949), we’re making a special offer! The Arrow for his novel, Frindle, is:
Half price till midnight May 31st: $4.95!
Just what is a frindle?
“I will never use the word PEN again. Instead, I will use the word FRINDLE, and I will do everything possible so others will, too.”
In 1990, Clements began writing his first novel, Frindle. Published six years later, the novel tells the story of a boy who creates a new word and tries to get it into the dictionary.
Some fun facts about Andrew Clements (from an interview with the New York Public Library):
- Writes in a cabin in the woods or in a shed behind his house where there are no distractions
- Takes about a year to complete and publish a novel
- As a teen, loved Jack London and the Sherlock Holmes stories
- Listens to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and John Mayer
- In his free time, plays guitar, tinkers in his workshop, hikes, and practices calligraphy
Advice on writing from Andrew Clements:
“I don’t know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first. Read, read, read. Read all the good books you can to learn what good writing sounds like and feels like. And think about what you read.”
When he doesn’t have anything to write: “I’ve learned to make myself make something happen next. The thought ‘I can’t think of anything to write’ is the same as ‘Nothing could possibly happen next’—and that is NEVER true.”
“Sometimes kids ask how I’ve been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. … You don’t have to do everything at once. You don’t have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word.”
So, celebrate Andrew Clements’ birthday and take advantage of this special offer! Offer ends on May 31st at midnight EDT.
Also, if you’d like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: Frindle (affiliate link).
The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.
