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Cover of Swindle

Age rating and parents' guide:Swindle

by Gordon Korman

Ages 9–12

Swindle by Gordon Korman is best for children aged 9–12. It has no violence, a few mildly scary moments, no romance and no bad language. Worth knowing: The friends break into a shop; a guard dog; a dishonest adult.

A collector cheats Griffin out of a baseball card worth a fortune, then plans to sell it. So Griffin puts together a team of misfits to steal it back from a shop guarded by a huge dog. Invites children to talk about fairness, teamwork and whether two wrongs make a right.

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Content ratings

How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.

Violence
None
Scary moments
Mild
Romance
None
Bad language
None

Worth knowing: The friends break into a shop; a guard dog; a dishonest adult

Dhiraj Bodade

Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on 3 November 2026.

At a glance

  • ★Novel
  • ★Emotionally light

Reading mood

  • Funny

Books like Swindle

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    Nilly is very small and his new neighbour Lisa is very lonely, until they meet the inventor Doctor Proctor. His latest invention is a fart powder powerful enough to launch a person into space. Invites children to talk about friendship, being different and wild ideas.

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    Ages 10–12

    Mayil Will Not Be Quiet!

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    Twelve-year-old Mayil keeps a diary, and in it she says exactly what she thinks. About school, her family, being a girl and growing up, she is funny, frank and very much her own. Invites children to talk about fairness and to try keeping a diary of their own.

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  • Cover of Toad Rage

    Ages 8–12

    Toad Rage

    by Morris Gleitzman

    Limpy, a young cane toad, is tired of watching his relatives get squashed on the highway. He sets off to make humans like toads, and to win a place as a mascot at the Olympics. Invites children to talk about prejudice and seeing things from someone else's side.

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  • Cover of Nicholas

    Ages 8–10

    Nicholas

    by René Goscinny

    Nicholas and his gang of friends get into trouble at school, at home and everywhere in between. Each short story is told in his own cheerful voice, with Sempé's drawings. Invites children to compare Nicholas's school days with their own.

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  • Cover of Conrad: The Factory-Made Boy

    Ages 7–11

    Conrad: The Factory-Made Boy

    by Christine Nöstlinger

    One day a tin arrives at messy Mrs Bartolotti's door, and inside is Conrad, a perfectly behaved boy made in a factory. He has been delivered by mistake, and the factory wants him back. Invites children to talk about whether being perfectly good is the same as being happy.

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  • Cover of Moominsummer Madness

    Ages 7–10

    Moominsummer Madness

    by Tove Jansson

    A volcano erupts and a flood carries the Moomins away from their house. They make a new home in a floating theatre, and end up putting on a play. Invites children to talk about making the best of things when life turns upside down.

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Questions parents ask

Q: What age is Swindle for?
Swindle suits children aged 9–12. It is a novel.
Q: Is Swindle appropriate for a 9 year old?
Yes. Bookstaken rates it for ages 9–12. It has no violence, a few mildly scary moments, no romance and no bad language. Worth knowing before reading: The friends break into a shop; a guard dog; a dishonest adult.
Q: What should my child read after Swindle?
Try Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder, Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! and Toad Rage. They share the same kind of story and suit the same ages.

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