Al Capone does my Shirts

Moose Flanagan is the 12 year old son of an Alcatraz electrician/guard. His family lives on the island along with the other guards’ families, the warden’s family in their mansion and some of the most notorious prisoners of the mid-thirties. His parents took this job so that they could pay for a private school for his sister Natalie, who is different. Although it was not a diagnosed disease at the time, we can tell that Natalie is autistic. Moose struggles to do the right thing for himself, for his family and for his sister. He wants to fit in to his new school but the warden’s daughter Piper makes things very difficult for him, especially when she wants him to break the warden’s rules.

This book was a super fun read. Moose’s character was well developed and you could really see his world. I liked that the depression was only mentioned in passing. This was really Moose and Natalie’s stories, and not the story of 1930s America. Moose’s feelings were well articulated showing how he both loved and resented his sister at the same time. The notes at the end showing what parts of the story were based on historical fact and which were fictionalized was very helpful. This would be a great resource for further non-fiction reading, a preference for many boys.

Age range: 11 plus

Ranking: Quality – 5/5 , Popularity – 5/5