Al
Capone Does My Shirts ,
by Gennifer Choldenko
Al Capone would probably have been more
comfortable laundering money than shirts, but that's
exactly how he spent his days at Alcatraz, according
to the author of this delightful and informative audio
book.
When his father accepts a job as a prison
guard during the Great Depression, Moose Flanagan and
his family take up residence on the isolated island
in San Francisco Bay that houses Al Capone and society's
most notorious murderers, rapists and other criminals.
Although living in an apartment in the shadow of the
forbidding prison and having murderers for neighbors
is strange at first, Moose quickly makes friends among
most of the island's other youngsters and travels by
ferry with them each day to San Francisco where they
attend junior high school. It's on one of these trips
that Piper devises a money-making scheme to capitalize
on their proximity to Al Capone. Moose develops a love-hate
relationship with Piper, the spoiled, undisciplined,
mean-spirited daughter of the warden. In any other situation,
he would simply avoid such a trouble-maker, but they
are classmates and travel companions and she's the prettiest
girl he's ever known. Life would be almost perfect for
Moose, if it weren't for the fact that he's responsible
for taking care of his older sister, Natalie, a girl
afflicted with what would now be diagnosed as a severe
form of autism. The Flanagan family chose the Alcatraz
job because it puts them close to a special school where
they hope to find help for Natalie, but Natalie's bizarre
behavior creates problems for Moose and puts her acceptance
at the special school in jeopardy.
Choldenko's book satisfies on many levels.
Set in 1935, it deals with actual events, locales and
figures in history, qualifying it as historical fiction.
Told from the point of view of a typical boy of the
time who voices thoughts like "I want to be here
like I want poison ivy on my private parts," it
appeals to boys as well as to girls. Although written
for an adolescent audience, the book will charm, inform
and entertain readers of all ages. Adults will probably
be surprised to learn that Alcatraz was home to families
as well as to criminals at one time in our history.
They might also find that Natalie's behavior reminds
them of children they knew and wonder if their long
ago childhood peers were also victims of autism.
At the end of the book, Choldenko discusses
the history of Alcatraz and the people who lived and
worked there. She explains why she chose to write about
autism and its effect on a family and on an entire community.
In addition to being informative and thought-provoking,
the book is extremely entertaining. I had the opportunity
to relisten to the opening pages of the book with 3
sweet, well-read girls, ages 7 to 12. As I watched their
delighted faces and heard their half-suppressed giggles
at Moose's description of Alcatraz as a rock "covered
with bird turd and surrounded by water," I realized
that this is a book that's perfect for group or individual
enjoyment by the whole family.
Ruth
Mormon
12/22/09
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