Swindle

Griffin Bing, a sixth-grade student, discovers a rare Babe Ruth baseball card during a sleepover in an abandoned house scheduled for demolition. When he attempts to sell the card to local dealer S. Wendell Palomino, Griffin receives far less than the card's true value. With the help of his best friend Ben and a team of skilled classmates, Griffin plans an elaborate operation to retrieve the baseball card from Palomino's heavily secured house. Each team member brings unique abilities that prove essential to their mission. The story follows the group's complex plan as they work to outsmart Palomino and reclaim what was unfairly taken from them. Their mission faces numerous obstacles and complications that test both their skills and their friendships. This middle-grade novel explores themes of justice, friendship, and standing up to adult authority when confronted with wrongdoing. The book demonstrates how cooperation and individual talents can combine to overcome significant challenges.

Readers describe the book as a fast-paced caper that keeps kids engaged. Parents report their reluctant readers finishing it quickly and asking for more books in the series. Liked: - Humor throughout the story - Relatable main character for middle schoolers - Short chapters that maintain momentum - Clear moral lessons without being preachy - Appeals to both boys and girls Disliked: - Some found the plot unrealistic - Adult characters portrayed as incompetent - Resolution felt rushed to some readers - A few parents noted mild deception/dishonesty by characters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (19,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (900+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 "My son couldn't put it down - first book he's read cover to cover in one sitting," noted one Amazon reviewer. Multiple Goodreads reviews praised the book for getting reluctant readers interested in chapter books.

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🔸 Gordon Korman wrote his first novel, "This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall," at age 12 as a seventh-grade English project. 🔸 Baseball cards can be incredibly valuable - the T206 Honus Wagner card, similar to the type of rare card featured in Swindle, sold for $6.6 million in 2021. 🔸 The success of Swindle led to five sequels: Zoobreak, Framed, Showoff, Hideout, and Jackpot. 🔸 The book was adapted into a Nickelodeon original movie in 2013, starring Noah Crawford as Griffin and Chris O'Neal as Ben. 🔸 Gordon Korman has written over 100 books for children and young adults, selling more than 30 million copies worldwide.