Swindle

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

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and historical context of baseball cards and card collection that incite Griffin’s conflict.
• Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Value of Trust and Teamwork, The Morality of Rights and Ownership, and The Danger of Underestimating Children.
• Plan and compose a newspaper article from the perspective of an investigative reporter that details Swindle’s immoral business dealings.
• Analyze and evaluate plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding Swindle’s point of view, the role of Luthor, and other topics.