Frindle

Nick became sort of a hero for kids all over town, and he quickly learned that being a hero—even if you’re only a local hero—isn’t a free ride. It has a price. People noticed Nick when he walked into his dad’s hardware store or when he stood in line at the Penny Pantry to buy a candy bar. He could feel it when someone recognized him, and it made him shy and awkward. Kids at school started expecting him to be clever and funny all the time, and even for a kid as smart as Nick, that was asking a lot. Every teacher, the office secretary, the principal, even the school nurse and the custodian, all seemed to be watching, always watching. His parents were great about everything. True, his mom had been upset when the article first came out, and so had his dad. Nick had said, “But I didn’t do anything wrong, Mom. And neither did that lady from the newspaper.” And his parents could see that he was right. The things in the article were true, and the truth is the truth, and nothing could be done about it now. Even though it made them uncomfortable to have their boy talked about all over town, secretly, Nick’s mom and dad were pleased. After all, a brand-new word is a pretty amazing thing. Their Nicholas was quite a fellow—no getting around it.