Cover of Swindle

Swindle

by Gordon Korman

Among the most widely assigned — 6 curriculum lists · 6 states

On reading-award lists:Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book AwardGreat Stone Face Book AwardCharlie May Simon Children's Book AwardGarden State Children's Book Award+2 more

Swindle by Gordon Korman is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7. It appears across 6 curriculum references and 6 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Swindle is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range
Grades 4–7
Age range
Ages 9–12
First published
2012
Genre
Mystery
ISBN-13
9780545457385

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

Ocean's 11 . . . with 11-year-olds, in a super stand-alone heist caper from Gordon Korman!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 secret hiding place, and their inability to drive -- but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully his . . . even if hijinks ensue.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Swindle→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Mystery title, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and justice; cited across 6 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

friendship · justice · heist

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Swindle?
Swindle is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign Swindle?
Swindle appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Garden State Children's Book Award, Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award, and 3 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Swindle banned in schools?
Swindle does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does Swindle explore?
Central themes in Swindle include friendship, justice, heist. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 6 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 6 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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