# The Pinballs

**Author:** Betsy Cromer Byars
**Grade range:** Grades 4–6
**Age range:** 9–11
**First published:** 1977
**Page count:** 137
**Genre:** Realistic Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780062239440`
**ISBN-10:** `0590324276`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-pinballs
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Three lonely foster children learn to care about themselves and each other.

## Themes

- foster home care
- friendship
- friendship in fiction
- foster home care in fiction

## Where this book is assigned

### Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)

---

_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. For the full HTML view with reading-list cross-references, see https://readinglist.school/book/the-pinballs._