Plot: It is 1935, Moose Flanagan and his family have moved to Alcatraz because his father is working as a guard and it is cheaper to live on the island. This is a lot for a 12 year old boy to take, living on an island that houses some of the most notorious criminals like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. Moose befriends some of the other kids living on the island, one of them being the warden's mischievous daughter Piper. She has a money-making scheme Moose wants no part of. With both parents working all the time, Moose must take care of his older sister Natalie because she has what we know today to be autism. His parents want more than anything to get Natalie into a school, Esther P. Marinoff, for people with her needs. She's been turned down before, so it is up to Moose to do what is best for Natalie while trying to stay out of trouble, and hopefully not run into any convicts!
Genre: Historical fiction
Recommended reading level: Grades 5-8
Subjects/themes: Autism, prison life, San Francisco, family, friendship.
Awards:
- Newbery Honor
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
- ALA Notable Book 2005
- Publisher's Weekly Best Book 2004
- Al Capone Shines My Shoes
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