[Rory]

Dear Gordon-Korman,

 

 I am an eighth grade student in middle school. My name is Rory. I love your book Swindle. It was so good.  I liked how Ben treated his friend Griffin. Ben was the only one who showed up to Rockford's house for the sleepover. Ben was definitely a true friend. Another part I liked is when Savannah helped the dog Luthor. I enjoyed this part because I like dogs too. A have a few questions. 

 

How long did it take for you to make your Swindle book? Do  your kids read your books? 

Sincerely,

 

Rory

 

Hi, Rory,

Thanks for posting. I'm pleased to hear that SWINDLE made such a big hit with you. It's a series, you know, eight books in total, all about The Man with the Plan and the other kids in his friend group.

It took about 5 months to complete SWINDLE, which is Book #1 in the series. My kids are now college age, but when they were the right middle grade age for my books, they did read them. 

                                Thanks again for writing.                                            -----Gordon Korman-----

 

[Zach Cary]

Dear Gordon,

I have now been teaching third grade in New Hampshire for 16 years and your Swindle series has changed my life in the classroom!  Not only do I love all of your figurative language throughout, but I also find the plots and story-lines in each of the books to be exceptional.  

I began reading Swindle back in 2007, when I first became a third grade teacher.  At the time, I had just found the one (and only) book in the -- unbeknownst to me, SERIES that was to come -- during my visit to the school book fair, right down the hall from my classroom.  I remember to this day, picking it up (because I liked the front cover), and reading the back cover... I was hooked!  So, I tried it with my very first group of third graders, and they LOVED IT!  

The way you write and show so much emotion and mood with your characters (specifically "The Team"), it really allows me to be my wild, animated self!  And because I am so animated, I find my students to be very extremely intrigued and invested in this series.  Whenever your characters are doing something in the books where I have an opportunity to both get the kids to connect to the characters, but also to give them a quick energizer (due to sitting for a while for the read aloud), I take advantage!  And as for those wonderful characters, like Dimitri Trebezhov, I always look forward to doing his Russian accent (and the kids love it ;)!  

From 2007, when I first discovered your wonderful realistic fiction book called Swindle, and then every year after for the next seven years (with, I think... maybe a year or two between books until the culmination of Jingle, I have designated Swindle "My Sacred Series."  And even when demands are so great and there is no more time for additional read alouds, I say... I don't care!  This is MY read aloud, that the kids go crazy for every year!  I have created SO MANY fans of your series, all because of my true adoration for your writing style!  

A quick funny story: After my first year of teaching, a student came back to visit me and gifted me a signed copy of Swindle!  Evidently, you had come to her school for an author visit and she clearly remembered just how much passion I had for your Swindle book.  So, long story short, I put it in one of those hard plastic cube hat cases, and propped it up inside, for all my future students to see and appreciate.  

Currently, year 16 for me as a classroom teacher in the same district, I am just starting Hideout tomorrow and my students are absolutely ENTHRALLED!  I usually only make it to Jackpot by the end of the school year, just because of all the curriculum demands and lack of time for beautiful enrichment.  

As an educator and fellow writer (of mostly songs and poetry), I just want to THANK YOU, Gordon, from the bottom of my heart, for writing this INCREDIBLE series =).

Zach Cary (Mr. "Z")

Hi, Mr. Z,

I hardly know what to say, Mr. Z! SWINDLE was a lot of fun to write, too, so a  letter like yours is like casting one's bread upon the waters and having it come back sandwiches! I'm tempted to follow your lead and put your letter in one of those hard plastic cube hat cases! I get a lot of fan mail, and a lot of it is praise, but what you said about my SWINDLE is very special.

Thank you. I hope you keep reading SWINDLE, and I hope the kids keep laughing in all the right places.

                                        Kindest regards,                                                 -----Gordon Korman-----

[Zach Cary]

I L 😉 VE IT!

Thank you, again.