Al Capone Does My Shirts - Module 10

AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS
by Gennifer Choldenko

ISBN 9780399238611

G. P. Putnam's Sons-New York (2004)

Grades: 6-8.

TALE

The story is narrated by 12 year-old Moose. He has moved with his family to Alcatraz Island where his father is going to work as a prison guard and electrician. He is a caring son and a devoted brother, but his 16 year-old sister Natalie suffers from autism and needs his commitment, affection, and dedication more than ever. Their mother is determined to get Natalie accepted as intern at Esther P. Marinoff School, where she will have better chances for progress. In this commitment she is guilty of delegating too much responsibility to her young boy that just misses being a kid. Between struggling to adapt to a new school and new friends (some not so friendly), suffering from the absence of his father who is working extended hours, enduring the absence of his mother who is teaching music to increase the family income, and helping his sister… not much time is left for him to enjoy life. Moose’s narratives are embellished with interesting descriptions of the island and the routines of residents and convicts alike.

Thought

This book is a good read from beginning to end—which is great! Choldenko’s depiction of Alcatraz is rich and feels realistic. A picture of the island is printed at the beginning of the book along with notes and arrows pointing to settings included in the story. The year is 1935 and the island is ‘home’ for many known criminals including the famous Al Capone.

About the author

Gennifer Choldenko was born in 1957 in Santa Monica, California. Today she lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and two children.

She began her career as a advertisement illustrator but relized that children’s books were her true love. Graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design. Notes from a Liar and Her Dog was her first novel and it received many awards.

Al Capone Does My Shirts’ character Natalie was inspired on one of Choldenko’s sisters who suffered from a severe form of autism.

Review

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8--In this appealing novel set in 1935, 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his family move from Santa Monica to Alcatraz Island where his father gets a job as an electrician at the prison and his mother hopes to send his autistic older sister to a special school in San Francisco. When Natalie is rejected by the school, Moose is unable to play baseball because he must take care of her, and her unorthodox behavior sometimes lands him in hot water. He also comes to grief when he reluctantly goes along with a moneymaking scheme dreamed up by the warden's pretty but troublesome daughter. Family dilemmas are at the center of the story, but history and setting--including plenty of references to the prison's most infamous inmate, mob boss Al Capone--play an important part, too. The Flanagan family is believable in the way each member deals with Natalie and her difficulties, and Moose makes a sympathetic main character. The story, told with humor and skill, will fascinate readers with an interest in what it was like for the children of prison guards and other workers to actually grow up on Alcatraz Island.--Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Activity

Thinking about Piper’s laundry service, have student groups come up with an idea for a scheme to make money. They will create a poster and flyers to advertise that service.