After being swindled out of a valuable baseball card by an unscrupulous dealer, Griffin Bing comes up with a plan to steal it back. He's assisted by an assorted group of friends including tentative Ben, "computer genius" Melissa, and plucky animal lover Savannah. Readers will enjoy the action and adventure as well as the kid-power theme in this entertaining read. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Gr 3-7-When Griffin Bing and his pal Ben discover an old Babe Ruth baseball card in a home about to be demolished, Griffin-aware that his dad's lack of success as an inventor is causing increasing stress at home-dreams of selling it for thousands and using his share to keep the family financially afloat. The boys are somewhat deflated when they present the card to collectibles dealer S. Wendell Palomino and he suggests that it is a reproduction and buys it for just $120. They soon discover that the sleazy dealer plans to auction off the card, which is actually an extremely rare misprint, and that it is expected to sell for well over a million dollars. Outraged at having been taken advantage of, Griffin plans to steal the valuable card back from Palomino-or "Swindle," as he now calls him-but doing so is no mean feat. Among the obstacles the boys face are a large fence, a high-tech security system, and a ferocious guard dog. Clearly, special skills are needed, so they recruit a ragtag crew of oddball accomplices including an expert climber, an electronics whiz, an aspiring actor, and an animal lover who claims to be able to put even the most hardened, snarling canines in touch with their cuddly inner puppies. This kids-versus-adults-themed story is pure plot-driven fun from top to bottom. If you read it aloud, don't be surprised when your listeners beg you for "just one more chapter."-Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Griffin Bing is The Man With The Plan. Faced with a predicament, he responds with a caper of equal or greater proportions, the likes of which would make Lucille Ball proud. When he finds a rare baseball card, the sale of which would rescue his family's mechanical fruit-picking tool business, and loses it to the titular, nefarious collectibles dealer, Griffin puts together a team of sixth-grade specialists to pull off the biggest heist Cedarville has ever seen. The high jinks move along at a heady clip, punctuated by facsimile reproductions of Griffin's elaborate plans and team communications. The characters are stock (long-suffering best friend, mousy computer enthusiast, self-important thespian), and what seems to be a product placement for a car calls undue attention to itself in a few places. But the plot is the main attraction, and its clever intricacies silly, deceptively predictable, and seasoned with the occasional, unexpected twist do not disappoint.--Barthelmess, Thom Copyright 2008 Booklist