Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Scholastic Press (2008), Hardcover, 256 pages
Description
After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the SmartPick fruit picker.
Media reviews
VOYA
AGERANGE: Ages 11 to 14.
Eleven-year-old Griffin Bing enlists sixth grade friends who have computer, climbing, acting, animal handling, and swindling skills to retrieve a possible million-dollar Babe Ruth baseball card from a shop owner who scammed it from Griffin for only $125. Griffin hopes
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that selling the card will solve his parents' financial problems brought on by his father quitting his engineering job to focus on his invention, the SmartPick, which picks fruit without bruising it. The crew sends the shop owner tickets to a hockey game and break into his house while he is gone. With the help of the SmartPick, they overcome hostile guard dogs, security systems, neighbor surveillance, and betrayal to secure the card, but Griffin must return it to its rightful owner. Eventually the card funds the building of a town museum that includes a skate park, which is dedicated to Griffin and his team, and the caper brings attention and investors to the SmartPick so that Griffin's family is financially secure. Korman's fast moving, feel-good suspense novel will have middle schoolers, especially boys, turning the pages. Griffin, "The Man With a Plan," is resourceful but believable and likeable. He needs his friends, learns from them, and makes some poor choices for good causes. He out thinks the bad guys, supports his father (the good guy), and commits a crime with which even the police sympathize. The dog cover, large print, and ample white space make it reluctant reader material. Reviewer: Lucy Schall
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)
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Children's Literature
This novel by the very popular author contains all of the perfect elements of a story for middle school readers, including suspense, fully-developed characters, relevant plot, humor, and a surprise ending that is difficult to predict. The main character, Griffin Bing is the boy who always has a
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plan. He is also a 6th grade student who is known for his sometimes outrageous actions. One of his recent ideas is to have a sleepover in a condemned local "haunted house." While scoping out the house, Griffin discovers a very rare George Herman Ruth baseball card. This card is the key to his Griffin's new plan to save his family from their financial problems. He sells his card to a dealer for $120. Later, he discovers that he has been swindled. The dealer sold the rare card for $200,000. Griffin knows he needs a new plan. He enlists the help of his friend in his mission to get his card back. His plan is not perfect, and he and his team soon realize they must outwit a guard dog, a security system, and a secret hiding place. One more problem stands in his way: No one can drive. Readers will enjoy the page-turning adventure, the quirky characters and the revenge factor. This book is destined to become a favorite read-aloud for librarians and classroom teachers. It is a must-have for middle school libraries. Reviewer: Sue Reichard Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
While sleeping over in a house destined to be demolished the next morning, with only his best friend Ben (no one else showed up) Griffin finds a Babe Ruth baseball card. Thinking it might be of value, he takes it to an antiquities dealer, who tells him it isn't real, and hence isn't worth much.
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They settle on $120. Later, Griffin sees S. Wendall Palomino on a TV show, talking about the baseball card he recently acquired which he things is worth up to one million dollars! Griffin is justifiably outraged so he plots revenge on the con man. The resulting plan for getting the card back is quite ingenious, and takes the efforts of several of Alex's friends. The card does not end up where they thought it would be hidden, but thanks to an invention by Griffin's dad; it all worked out. This book is an easy, fast read; perfect for a strong grade 4, a weak grade five, or a reluctant grade seven reader. It was pretty funny and I enjoyed it a lot - will recommend it to others for sure. Show Less
LibraryThing member wooldridgep
I really enjoyed reading this book. From the beginning when the two boys sleep over in the house to the break-ins to the scarey dog fight at the end. A delightful book. I can see this one being made into a movie.
LibraryThing member sriches
After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle's compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way -- a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very
This is Gordon Korman at his crowd-pleasing best, perfect for readers who like to hoot, howl, and heist.
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secret hiding place, and their general inability to drive -- but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully his . . . even if hijinks ensue. This is Gordon Korman at his crowd-pleasing best, perfect for readers who like to hoot, howl, and heist.
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LibraryThing member xXcr9Xx
This book is about "The Man with the Plan", Griffin Bing. He is the main character of this book. The author is named Gordon Korman. The book is called Swindle. The book is about Griffin, who finds a Babe Ruth baseball card and he sells it to a collector who rips him off. Swindle made me feel that
The life lesson I learned was to never do something you're unsure about. I thought this was the life lesson because when Griffin sold the card to the collector, it made a huge problem.
I really liked the author's writing style because he gave so much detail which made me understand the book really well. Overall, the author's writing style was great.
The characters are Griffin, Ben, S. Wendell Palomino, Darren, Logan, Melissa, Antonia, and Savannah. The author made the characters feel so real to me because I really understood their different personalities. I liked all of the characters, however, my favourite one was Griffin. I like the way he takes risks like they're nothing. It just makes the book much more intense.
The main setting might be S. Wendell Palomino's house/store. The author made me picture the house/store really well. I love how the author gave so much detail so the reader could picture everything in his/her head.
The plot is that Griffin sold a very valuable baseball card to Mr. Palomino who ripped off Griffin because he only gave him $120, in fact it was worth almost $1 000 000. Now Griffin has to get the card back because he was furious and his family was having money problems.
i recommend this book to anyone who wants to read it. It was very fun and entertaining to read. :)
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every time I finished a chapter, I felt very anxious to read the next. The life lesson I learned was to never do something you're unsure about. I thought this was the life lesson because when Griffin sold the card to the collector, it made a huge problem.
I really liked the author's writing style because he gave so much detail which made me understand the book really well. Overall, the author's writing style was great.
The characters are Griffin, Ben, S. Wendell Palomino, Darren, Logan, Melissa, Antonia, and Savannah. The author made the characters feel so real to me because I really understood their different personalities. I liked all of the characters, however, my favourite one was Griffin. I like the way he takes risks like they're nothing. It just makes the book much more intense.
The main setting might be S. Wendell Palomino's house/store. The author made me picture the house/store really well. I love how the author gave so much detail so the reader could picture everything in his/her head.
The plot is that Griffin sold a very valuable baseball card to Mr. Palomino who ripped off Griffin because he only gave him $120, in fact it was worth almost $1 000 000. Now Griffin has to get the card back because he was furious and his family was having money problems.
i recommend this book to anyone who wants to read it. It was very fun and entertaining to read. :)
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LibraryThing member gvandevel
In this book 2 boys receive a letter about meeting someone in a left house. When they go they bring their stuff to camp. The mysterious person is late....Is this a trap or is this a real meeting?
LibraryThing member JiLa12
This is a Great Book by Gordon Korman. It is a decent read for kids in the 4th-8th Grade. If you like action and suspense books this is a book for you.
LibraryThing member NeAd0530
swindle is a good book full action and spies. i feel more for little kids
LibraryThing member ParneetKaire
"Swindle," a fascinating, adventorous and a mysterious novel by Gordon Korman. I read this book when I was in Silver Birch in Grade 6. It was a great book, read in just one day.
LibraryThing member beckers
Haley Crispell,
This is fiction book with a bit of mystery in it. This book starts out with these to best friends Griffin and his friend Ben take a night in the old Rockford house that will be destroyed the next morning , while Ben sleeps Griffin takes a trip around the Rockford house to fing the
This is fiction book with a bit of mystery in it. This book starts out with these to best friends Griffin and his friend Ben take a night in the old Rockford house that will be destroyed the next morning , while Ben sleeps Griffin takes a trip around the Rockford house to fing the
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most prized tocken to money a old baseball card. The boys try to sell the card to S. Wendell Palamino to S. Wendell Griffin is just a kid so S. Wendell cons Griffin out of his card and only gives him a couple hundred dollars, when the next days come Griffin sees S. Wendell Palamino on the T.V planing an auction on the so called useless card , but selling it for millions of dollars. Griffin , the man with the plan takes his best friend Ben and acouple of their peers to plan a heist to get back what is rightfully Griffins. I give this book the full nine yards , five stars is the perfect fit for this book. This book is five points or around that range but I am most certain Swindle is five points. Show Less
LibraryThing member CatheOlson
Very fun, well-plotted middle grade novel about group of misfit kids trying to right a wrong perpetrated by a swindling collectibles dealer. I see why this is so popular with the boys at my school.
LibraryThing member SoccerDude
This book is awesome, it is about a kid who gets rip off by a collector. He sells the collector a card. I'll just leave it at that.
This book is on my favorite list, Gordon Korman is the best author ever, I can't wait to get his 2nd and 3rd books.
This book is on my favorite list, Gordon Korman is the best author ever, I can't wait to get his 2nd and 3rd books.
LibraryThing member Mitchell23
This is a good book, and Whoever has not Read this you Need to read this. If
LibraryThing member altonams
S. Wendell Palimino has cheated the boys. They found a baseball card in a condemned house where they spent the night and when they took it to the shop S. Wendell told them it was only worth about $100. Griffin haggles to get the price to $120 and goes home satisfied until he sees on the news that
I’m sure it’s a book my students would enjoy reading, and there are no language problems, and it was good that they found strengths in the classmates, but I don’t like them thinking stealing is ok. Griffin thought since he was just repossessing it like they do with cars, it was fine. At least the parents all agreed the kids had been wrong.
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night that the card is worth up to $1,000,000. Griffin decides to swindle S Wendell and get the card back, but first Trojan horse attempt failed as the card had been moved from the shop. In order to try again at the house, help from other sixth graders is needed. The kids are successful in breaking into the house and swiping back the card, but are later caught by the authorities. For those who haven’t yet read it, there is a surprise ending… I’m sure it’s a book my students would enjoy reading, and there are no language problems, and it was good that they found strengths in the classmates, but I don’t like them thinking stealing is ok. Griffin thought since he was just repossessing it like they do with cars, it was fine. At least the parents all agreed the kids had been wrong.
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LibraryThing member SandyStiles
I never actually finished this book, getting to about chapter 10 and abandoning it. Although some students seemed to enjoy it, I wasn't taken with it. Mostly it seemed like long descriptions of how two boys were going to have to go about getting a valuable baseball card back from a man who swindled
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them. Their methods involved breaking in to his store, lying to a woman and so on. I have really liked other books by Korman, but didn't get into this one. 6th and 7th grade, probably Show Less
LibraryThing member laf
This is a really awesome book about a boy named Griffin who finds a million dollar Babe Ruth baseball card in a condemned building. When he takes it to a mean collector, whose name happens to be Swindle, to find out how much it's worth to sell it, the collector rips him off and buys it for a
One way it is exciting is that Griffin and his friends have to steal the baseball card back from a house with a really high-tech security system. Another is that guarding the card are two really big attack guard dogs. Griffin comes up with a plan, and bribes his friends to help him with the money they'll get from the baseball card.
Not all goes as planned or expected, and that's what helps make this story interesting and exciting.
The author writes very humorously, and made me laugh a lot.
I highly, supremely recommend this book to everyone. Kids and adults will love this adventure filled book, or my name isn't Chewbaka!
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hundred dollars. This book is really fun to read because it is exciting.One way it is exciting is that Griffin and his friends have to steal the baseball card back from a house with a really high-tech security system. Another is that guarding the card are two really big attack guard dogs. Griffin comes up with a plan, and bribes his friends to help him with the money they'll get from the baseball card.
Not all goes as planned or expected, and that's what helps make this story interesting and exciting.
The author writes very humorously, and made me laugh a lot.
I highly, supremely recommend this book to everyone. Kids and adults will love this adventure filled book, or my name isn't Chewbaka!
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LibraryThing member asleblanc
Loved this one! I know there will be rumbling over students participating in criminal acts - but what a wonderful opening for discussions on ethics. ; )
I loved the Oceans Eleven feel of pulling all of the students together for their different talents and the problem solving was funny and kept the
Wonderfully fun reading!
I loved the Oceans Eleven feel of pulling all of the students together for their different talents and the problem solving was funny and kept the
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reader on their toes. S. Wendell, AKA "Swindle" was definitely an amusing antagonist that everyone can agree to hate and cheer at his downfall. Wonderfully fun reading!
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LibraryThing member adamjohn
Griffin Bing and his best friend Ben have a sleep over at a spooky and lonely house, Griffin finds a baseball card. The next day, he goes to a shop where the owner tells him that the baseball card is not original, and that it is cheap, Griffin traits it with the owner, S. Wendell Palomino. Then, he
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finds out that Palomino has ripped him off. The baseball card is worth millions of dollars. Then the Man With The Plan (Griffin) puts together a team, and tries to break in the house, that has guard dogs, alarm systems, and a safe. Show Less
LibraryThing member crochetbunnii
Griffin Bing is the Man With the Plan. Ben Slovak is his faithful partner. Together, there isn't anything the boys can't do, except get a baseball card back after they are swindled by a dishonest antiques dealer. After their initial heist in the antiques store fails, the boys have to enlist the
This is an action-packed story full of humor and great moments. Greatly enjoyed by the kids in my book group.
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help of their classmates, utilizing their unique talents, to pull off the ultimate heist. Will they succeed past alarm systems, vicious guard dogs, and a safe?This is an action-packed story full of humor and great moments. Greatly enjoyed by the kids in my book group.
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LibraryThing member bschroth04
Great read i loved how a few kids can do so much.
LibraryThing member ARICANA
After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the
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SmartPick fruit picker. Show Less
LibraryThing member catherineparry
When the friends are swindled out of a valuable baseball card by S. Windle, they put together a crew of friends to get it back.
Media: photos and CG
Media: photos and CG
LibraryThing member RalphLagana
I had to remind myself often that I am not the target audience for this book. This is a solid 5th grade read. I did chuckle a few times while reading this book, which is always a good sign, but the idea that a group of late elementary/early middle school kids are going to execute a major heist is
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not believable. Oh yes, I'm not the target audience. Okay then, if you're in 4-6th grade, then you're completely on board with the idea of a kid, swindled out of a million dollar card, putting together a plan to steal it back. This book had me thinking of Home Alone quite a bit. No one questions the ability of a child to survive against criminals in those movies because it's not really the point at all. There is a slightly interesting twist to the ending, but even then Korman forgoes any real consequences for the kids' actions. Bottom line: Fun read aloud and solid pleasure read for the right age 9-12. Show Less
LibraryThing member benuathanasia
Rather common trope as the lynchpin on the story: an adult screws over kids because kids are idiots who are easy to use, kids prove to be clever and get their revenge. Meh. Boring. The characters were all pretty one-dimensional, never growing beyond their own notable trait. Not sure if I'll
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continue the series or not. Show Less
LibraryThing member MattM.b3
This book by gordon korman was ok. At the begening, the main character gordon finds a old baseball card in a house that was about to be torn down. After they get out, they try to sell it do a card dealer. When they got home, they realized that the dealer had ripped them off, and the card was worth
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millions of dollors. So he assembles a team of kids from his school to help get it back. Overall it is a ok book. i probably wouldent read it again, but it was still good. Show Less
LibraryThing member scote23
MSBA nominee 2009-2010
I think this book will be popular with kids who already enjoy Korman's work and for kids who enjoy heist type stories. I feel like it skews a little bit more towards a boy book, but I certainly enjoyed reading it and found it easier to get into than The Great Wide Sea.
My only
I think this book will be popular with kids who already enjoy Korman's work and for kids who enjoy heist type stories. I feel like it skews a little bit more towards a boy book, but I certainly enjoyed reading it and found it easier to get into than The Great Wide Sea.
My only
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complaint would be that it switches point of view among characters fairly often, and at times I found it particularly difficult to remember whether Griffin or Ben was speaking. I'd be interested to know if others had this difficulty. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Honor — 2011)
Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award (Nominee — 2009)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Honor — 2010)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Children's — 2011)
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — 2012)
Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 3-5 — 2010)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Junior — 2011)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — Grades 3-5 — 2010-2011)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2011)
Bluestem Award (Nominee — 2012)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2010)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2011)
Silver Birch Fiction Award (Nominee — Fiction — 2009)
West Virginia Children's Choice Book Award (Nominee — 2009-2010)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Golden Archer Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2009)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 4-6 — 2010)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — Book of the Year — 2010)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2012)
South Carolina Book Awards (Winner — Children's Book Award — 2010)
The Willow Awards (Finalist — 2009)
Rocky Mountain Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Physical description
256 p.; 8.32 inches
ISBN
0439903440 / 9780439903448