Linked
by Gordon Korman
A small town confronts a hate symbol — and the kids decide what kind of community they want to be.
The story
When a swastika appears on the wall of a middle school in a quiet Colorado town, three students with very different lives find themselves drawn into the response: Link, the popular kid pulled toward leadership; Michael, the artistic outsider who first finds it; and Dana, the only Jewish student in town. Inspired by a real Tennessee school's paper clips project, the kids launch a Holocaust memorial that asks every student to take responsibility for what kind of place they live in.
Age verdict
Best for readers 10-13 who can sit with difficult feelings and discuss them with an adult or peer.
Our take
Teacher-favored classroom anchor — strong moral reasoning, discussion fuel, and cross-curricular reach with quieter kid-entertainment value.
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- Character voice Strong
Comparable to Knuffle Bunny — four distinct first-person voices (Michael artistic, Link sports-casual, Dana analytical, Jordie impulsive) with recognizably different speech patterns. Sits at (arguably above).
- First-chapter grab Strong
Comparable to All the Broken Pieces — swastika opening establishes immediate moral shock and mystery. Multiple POVs drop readers into personal stakes. Sits at.
Parents love
- Moral reasoning Exceptional
Is Link's father's prejudice understandable? Does Dana belong? Four perspectives prevent closure. Sits at.
- Real-world window Exceptional
Comparable to Lafayette! — comprehensive window into Holocaust education and real-world response (Whitwell paper clips project historically accurate); book IS centered on values alignment. Sits at.
Teachers love
- Empathy & self-awareness Exceptional
Named anchor for T8 in benchmark decision cards: multi-POV structure explicitly designed as empathy machine. Four voices inhabited fully; students practice perspective-taking on every page. Sits at (exemplar).
- Cross-curricular value Exceptional
Comparable to A Reaper at the Gates — ethical complexity through prejudice, responsibility, family role in community; natural connections to social studies, diversity, current events. Sits at.
✓ Perfect for
- • Readers who enjoyed Restart or Wonder
- • Kids ready for serious topics in a contemporary setting
- • Classrooms studying Holocaust history or civic action
- • Multi-POV fans who like alternating narrators
Not ideal for
Younger or sensitive readers unprepared for Holocaust references and hate-symbol content, or kids strictly looking for action-driven plots and clear villain-defeat endings.
⚠ Heads up
At a glance
- Pages
- 256
- Chapters
- 37
- Words
- 65k
- Lexile
- 750L
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- POV
- Alternating
- Illustration
- None
- Published
- 2021
- Publisher
- Scholastic Press
- ISBN
- 9781338629118
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
Most readers finish — short chapters and rotating voices keep momentum even when subject matter is heavy.
If your kid loved "Linked"
Matched across 30 dimensions — interest hooks, character appeal, tone, pacing, emotional core. Not by what other people bought. By what fits the same reader profile.
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