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Al Capone Does My Shirts Review

This book was assigned to my students for summer reading by their English teacher, so I read it as well. It's a page turner! Simply written in a breezy, creative style, the author seamlessly introduces younger readers to a life unfamiliar to most of us, and to people of special needs, such as the sister of the main character, in a caring manner. As a history teacher, I did not know that families of guards and other workers once lived on Alcatraz. I look forward to discussing the book and the people we met, even the little touch of romance, with my students. And thanks to the "teaser" at the end of the book, I simply have to read the sequel, just to see what else Gennifer Choldenko has cooked up. And I'm 55! Highly recommended!

Al Capone Does My Shirts Overview

When Moose Flanagan and his family move home, yet again, and become residents of the famous prison island Alcatraz, things get interesting. First of all, they share the island with a few other families and a lot of pretty heavy-duty criminals including Al Capone. And secondly, Moose's sister is starting a new school, which everyone hopes will help her become more integrated with those around her. When Moose comes up with some pretty cunning money-making schemes based on his famous co-residents, he does not count on his sister becoming inadvertently involved. This is a charming, funny and utterly enchanting book that skillfully and delicately weaves a humorous tale with some important issues.

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Customer Reviews

Simplistic and Sad - Katy in San Francisco - San Francisco, CA United States
The whole book can be summed up in Moose's opening statement:

"I'm not the only kid who lives here. There's my sister, Natalie, except she doesn't count."

Apparently all they have to do is get rid of Natalie and their lives will all be better.
Poor Natalie.

I'm the mother of a child with autism, and I hated this book. I hate how it is assigned to children to read and permeates the message of segregation of people with disabilities in society. Kids with autism do not need special schools and to be taken away from their families, kids with autism need to be accepted and loved, and made part of families.

OK Book Quality - Deborah Crane - PELL CITY, AL, US
Al Capone book was supposed to be new book. It did not arrive in "new" condition. Was not satisfied with this product.

Don't have your kid read it if they have autism - Moggy -
My son's class was assigned this book. My son has autism, and is fully included in a regular 5th grade class. I hated this book because I don't want my son or his classmates to think that all people with autism are like the character Natalie in that book. The book gives a very negative picture of autism, the main character Moose is embarrassed by his sister, wants her out of his life and sent away to a "special" school, the Mom is traumatized by her daughter's autism, and lies about how old Natalie is (says she is 10 when she is really 16). The whole point of the book seems to be that the family's life will be better once they send the autistic daughter away.
So I hated that this book was assigned, and think it is an awful way to introduce children to the reality of autism. Autism is not mentioned in the text of the book (it wasn't called that during the time period in which the book takes place) but it is mentioned in the author's notes in the end. The kids reading it are all going to want to know "what is WRONG with his sister?" and they will find out it is autism, and they will think all people with autism are like the Natalie character, and that is not true. For children who have autism, this will make them feel bad about themselves having autism, because it portrays the sister as such a crazy person. I am so upset that this book was assigned to my son's class!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Oct 16, 2010 06:21:15

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Saturday, October 16, 2010