Swindle

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade mystery/adventure
• Originally Published: 2008
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 710L; grades 4-7
• Structure/Length: 32 chapters; approximately 256 pages; approximately 4 hours and 31 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The novel follows 6th grader Griffin Bing, known as “The Man with the Plan,” who discovers a valuable Babe Ruth baseball card. When he is swindled out of the card by a deceitful collectibles dealer, Griffin assembles a diverse group of friends to retrieve the stolen card. The central conflict lies in their heist-like mission to right the wrong and expose the swindler.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Mild peril and tension associated with the heist; lying and deceit; themes of injustice.

Gordon Korman, Author

• Bio: Born 1963; Canadian American author; known for his young adult and middle grade literature; began his writing career at the age of 12; has written over 80 novels, which often feature humor, adventure, and relatable characters
• Other Works: No More Dead Dogs (2002); Ungifted (2012); Masterminds (2015); Restart (2017)
• Awards: South Carolina Children’s Book Award (2010); Grand Canyon Reader Award for Intermediate Books (2010); Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award (2011)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Value of Trust and Teamwork
• The Morality of Rights and Ownership
• The Danger of Underestimating Children