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Book Resume
for Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Professional book information and credentials for Al Capone Does My Shirts.
3 Professional Reviews (1 Starred)
4 Book Awards
Selected for 10 State/Province Lists
When Moose Flanagan moves to Alcatraz Island so his father can work as a prison guard, ...read more
- Publisher's Weekly:
- Ages 10 and up
- TeachingBooks:*
- Grades 5-12
- Word Count:
- 49,509
- Lexile Level:
- 600L
- ATOS Reading Level:
- 3.5
- Cultural Experience:
- Disability
- Genre:
- Historical Fiction
- Year Published:
- 2004
12 Subject Headings
The following 12 subject headings were determined by the U.S. Library of Congress and the Book Industry Study Group (BISAC) to reveal themes from the content of this book (Al Capone Does My Shirts).
- Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction
- Alcatraz Island (Calif.)--History--20th century--Fiction
- Brothers and sisters--Fiction
- Juvenile Fiction | Family | General (see also headings under Social Themes)
- United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, California--Juvenile fiction
- Family problems--Fiction
- Alcatraz Island (Calif.)--History--Fiction
- Swindlers and swindling--Fiction
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | General (see also headings under Family)
- Autism--Fiction
- Fires--Fiction
- United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, California--Fiction
3 Full Professional Reviews (1 Starred)
The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.
Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
When Moose Flanagan moves to Alcatraz Island so his father can work as a prison guard, he’s concerned about leaving his friends and his baseball team behind. He quickly discovers that living on the same piece of ground that harbors Machine Gun Kelly and Al Capone is a whole new ballgame. Along with the children of the other prison employees, Moose takes a boat to San Francisco each weekday to attend school. There the Island kids milk the mystique of their home for all it’s worth, concocting an ingenious scheme that involves smuggling their classmates’ dirty clothes into the prison laundry system—for a price. The humor of Moose’s escapades is balanced with a more serious issue that his family deals with daily: his older sister Natalie has a condition that keeps her from functioning as a typical teenager. Unidentified in this story set in the 1930s, Natalie’s condition would be diagnosed as autistic today. Desperate to find help for Natalie, Moose’s mother insists that her 16-year-old daughter is only ten, an age when she’s still eligible to attend special schools rather than being relegated to an institution. A concluding author’s note describes life on Alcatraz during its tenure as a working penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, solidly grounding this piece of fiction within fact. In a similar vein, Gennifer Choldenko’s sister served as inspiration for the character of Natalie, who is portrayed with respect and intimacy. The author’s dedication reads, “To my sister, Gina Johnson, and to all of us who loved her—however imperfectly.” (Ages 10–14)
CCBC Choices 2005 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2005. Used with permission.
From Publisher's Weekly
Starred review from February 2, 2004
Set on Alcatraz Island in 1935, Choldenko's (Notes from a Liar and Her Dog
) exceptionally atmospheric novel has equally unusual characters and plot lines. Twelve-year-old narrator Moose Flanagan has just moved to the island, where his father has been hired as an electrician and guard. At first Moose is spooked at being in such close proximity to the nation's most notorious criminals, and he doesn't know what to make of the all-powerful warden's bossy daughter, Piper, who flouts her father's rule about talking about the convicts ("You say name and hordes of reporters come crawling out of the woodwork ready to write stories full of foolish lies," the warden explains). At school, on the mainland, Piper hatches a scheme to make money from classmates ("Once in a lifetime opportunity! Get your clothes laundered by Al Capone and other world-famous public enemies!... Only costs 5 cents") and forces Moose to help her. Moose has reasons for staying on Piper's good side: his older sister, Natalie, has what would now be called autism, and Moose worries that her behavior will land the family in trouble with the warden. (Natalie's condition is so poorly understood that an expert tells her desperate mother, "An interesting case... you should consider donating her brain to science when she dies.") Choldenko captures the tense, nuanced family dynamics touched off by Natalie's disability as skillfully as she handles the mystique of Alcatraz and the exchanges between Moose and his friends. Fast-paced and memorable. Ages 10-up.
From AudioFile Magazine
Moose Flanagan moves to Alcatraz Island when his father accepts a job as a prison guard. It's 1935, and Al Capone is the island's most famous inmate. Moose gains popularity at his new school on the mainland for being a good ballplayer and having his laundry done by the prisoners. At home on the island, the attention comes from having an autistic sister who is perpetually 10. Johnny Heller has the ideal voice for a teenaged boy. You can picture the adolescent confusion, youthful enthusiasm, and humor, as well as the physical changes taking place. Heller's rendition of the story's female characters--sister Natalie, local queen bee Piper, and the pesky 7-year-old Teresa--is also exceptional. Choldenko has written a wonderful children's book, which Heller allows adults to enjoy as well. A.B. 2005 ALA Notable Recording, 2005 YALSA Selection (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
4 Book Awards & Distinctions
Al Capone Does My Shirts was recognized by committees of professional librarians and educators for the following book awards and distinctions.
10 Selections for State & Provincial Recommended Reading Lists
Al Capone Does My Shirts was selected by educational and library professionals to be included on the following state/provincial reading lists.
United States Lists (10)
California
Connecticut
- Nutmeg Book Award, 2009
Indiana
North Carolina
- 2011-2012 NCSLMA Middle School Battle of the Books
- NCSLMA Battle of the Books Booklist, 2008-2009
Oregon
- 2013 Oregon Battle of the Books, Grades 6-8
South Carolina
- Battle of the Books, Independent Schools, Middle School List, 2022-2023
Wisconsin
- 2009-10 Battle of the Books - Middle Division
- Battle of the Books, 2020-2021 -- Middle Division for Grades 6-8
Primary Source Statement on Creating Al Capone Does My Shirts
Gennifer Choldenko on creating Al Capone Does My Shirts:
This primary source recording with Gennifer Choldenko was created to provide readers insights directly from the book's creator into the backstory and making of this book.
Listen to this recording on TeachingBooks
Citation: Choldenko, Gennifer. "Meet-the-Author Recording | Al Capone Does My Shirts." TeachingBooks, https://k12.teachingbooks.net/bookResume/t/128. Accessed 19 February, 2025.
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This Book Resume for Al Capone Does My Shirts is compiled from TeachingBooks, a library of professional resources about children's and young adult books. This page may be shared for educational purposes and must include copyright information. Reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers.
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