Module 10: Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Bibliographic Citation: Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2004.

Plot Summary:

Twelve year old Moose has just moved to Alcatraz Island with his family.  The family had to move to the island because his father took a job at the prison.  Moose and his sister Nathalie soon meet the other kids in the island, and Moose isn't too fond of all of them, especially the warden's daughter, Piper.  When Moose's mother takes an evening job, Moose is responsible for his older sister Natalie who is "sick," she has been 10 for about 6 years and she has bad tantrums.  Natalie fixates on numbers and her buttons.  

One day, Moose is out looking for a baseball and he leaves Natalie sitting with her buttons, when he returns he sees her with an inmate, number 105.  Moose panics and wonders how long this friendship has lasted and what actually has happened between the two.  Inmate 105 is very nice to Natalie and she repeats his number over and over again.  Moose is torn between telling his parents and making sure to keep Natalie locked in the house so she wont see 105 again.  Natalie however thinks otherwise and wants to go outside, she continues to repeat the number 105.  When he eventually takes her out again, Natalie goes to her meeting  place with 105 and he is there, waiting for her.  He holds her hand, something Natalie hates, and she doesn't move her hand away.  Moose feels all kinds of emotions, he's upset but also realizes she is 16 and this could possibly be normal, the inmate isn't much older than Natalie.  

Meanwhile, Moose's mom is unstable and continues to try to get Natalie into a special school, where she hasn't been accepted.  The day is nearing, when Natalie has an appointment at the school, even though she is way past the age limit, her mother insists natalie is still 10 years old.  On Natalie's birthday, Moose finally lets his mom have it, and he tells her its useless, Natalie is 16 and everybody knows it.  Either way, Moose's mom goes to the interview with Natalie, and again she is denied.  Moose then decides he is going yo write a letter to Al Capone and see if he can work something out.  Soon enough, the school calls and says they are starting a new school for older teens, and Natalie is accepted.  Al Capone writes Moose a small note, simply saying, Done. 

My Impressions of the Book:

I found this book to be a very good read.  I liked that it's setting was Alcatraz and I enjoyed the adventures Moose had in and out of the island.  At first I couldn't figure out what was wrong with his sister, but eventually I understood it was autism.  I like how the life of an autistic child was portrayed in the novel because many people don't know what it's like to live with an autistic person.  I think this book brings awareness to an issue that many families face.  I also liked the character of Piper, she was very spunky and took advantage of her fathers role in the prison.  Either way, I liked how she came up with schemes and somehow took Moose along for the ride.   

Review(s) About the Book:

Library Journal

Cholodenk, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. Putnam Juvenile: Penguin Group (USA). 2004. 240p. ISBN 978-0-399-23861-1. $16.99.
"Today I moved to a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water." So narrates 12-year-old Moose in this School Library Journal Best Book of 2004 set in 1935 on Alcatraz Island when gangster Al Capone is an inmate working in the prison laundry. Readers learn how Moose and his family ended up on Alcatraz—his father took a job as a prison guard so that Natalie, Moose’s sister, could attend the Ester P. Marinoff School for students with autism. The story addresses how having a sister with autism affects a sibling’s life more than autistic Natalie herself; Cholodenk portrays both aspects of the story well. A humorous treat for siblings of people with autism and an entertaining read for all.

Barnes & Nobles Editorial Reviews

The Washington Post

Natalie's story is an important thread, sensitively handled. But what stays in the mind is the teeming mini-society of the island, where guards' families really did live and where a kid really might have encountered Al Capone, an inmate at Alcatraz from 1934 to 1939. — Elizabeth Ward

Use in Library Setting:

I would use this book to teach kids/ teens about Alcatraz and/ or autism.  This book could be great for children that have a sibling with a disability, they can read a book that they can relate to.  So, this book would also be good for a book talk with upper elementary kids and middle school students.