Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
WAW 2006 Award Nominee (Gr. 6-8)
December 27, 2006
Moose and his family move to Alcatraz Island during the summer
of 1935. Moose's father works as a guard/electrician on the island,
and it seems like he has to work all the time. Then, to make
matters worse, his mother starts teaching piano lessons so that his
sister, Natalie, can go to a special school.
Moose is just starting to make friends at his new school in San
Francisco, but now he has to take care of his sister all the time.
There are only a handful of kids who live on the island, and the
biggest pain among them is Piper, the warden's daughter. She has a
knack for getting everyone else in trouble, so Moose would rather
play baseball than get involved with her schemes. But somehow, he
just can't help himself.
This novel is an example of historical fiction, taking place on
Alcatraz Island, an actual island consisting of 12 acres in the
middle of San Francisco Bay, And yes, it used to be the location of
a federal maximum-security prison from the early 1920s until 1963.
It was even referred to as "The Rock" by inmates who were housed
there. And, indeed, Al Capone -- one of America's real-life
gangster's -- served time as an inmate at this facility.
In addition to the prison setting, the book gives the reader a
glimpse into the world of autism. The author, Gennifer Choldenko,
had a sister who was autistic, and she incorporated this experience
into the plot of the story.
