Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Swindle
Gordon Korman
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
Griffin Bing races through the shadows, heart pounding as he sneaks into Swindle’s fortress-like mansion. His prize baseball card is just within reach, but guards and traps stand between him and victory. Will Griffin and his team of misfits pull off the ultimate heist?
Quick Assessment
Swindle is a middle-grade novel about Griffin Bing, who teams up with friends to reclaim a valuable baseball card swindled from him by a dishonest collector. The story features themes of friendship, teamwork, and resourcefulness, with a lighthearted and humorous tone suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should know the book includes mild peril and some tension but remains appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated Swindle LE (Mild)
Swindle is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage Swindle on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate Swindle as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Swindle explores friendship, adventure, humor, and sports — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, humor.
- ✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Swindle carries an award.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780439903448
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Scholastic Press
- Published
- March 1, 2008
- Type
- Fiction