Al Capone does my shirts

Product Information

It has become clear to Moose that Natalie has made progress with her new therapist. Moose can also see how important it is to his mother that Natalie gets into the school. When Natalie is turned down once again, Moose goes to the warden to ask for help. When the warden refuses, Moose sneaks a letter into the prison to Al Capone. A short time later, Moose learns that the Esther P. Marinoff School has created a new program for older children and Natalie is to be their first student. Physical / Personality Traits: How does this character interact with others in the book? What challenges does this character face? Once she sent away for voodoo dolls and carefully followed the instructions some witch doctor in the West Indies wrote about how to relieve Natalie's condition. Another time she took Natalie to a church where everybody stood up and waved their arms. She read the Bible to her for two hours every day while Natalie sat staring at her right hands if there were a movie playing on her palm and she couldn't bear to pull herself away." (PG. 67)

With a name like Al Capone Does My Shirts, I was settled in for a good light read, not. Not that it isn't an easy read but there is pathos in this story of Moose Flannagan. Moose is the brother of a severely challenged sister, Natalie, who cannot function in society and is sometimes entombed in her own frightening world to the exclusion of even her family. I really felt like I was on the island with them, as well. Having it set on Alcatraz is really cool and you learn a lot about the island in the 1930s -- and of course, it's funny! The story, told with humor and skill, will fascinate readers." -- School Library Journal , starred review

Customer reviews

Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko, has been critically acclaimed since it was published in 2004. And when we say acclaimed, we're talking by the Newbery Honor folks. Which is basically like the president of children's books giving you the seal of approval. And it's easy to see why—this book dives into both unusual and usual terrain at once, combining the unusual setting of living on Alcatraz Island while Al Capone's a prisoner there with the totally usual struggles of growing up, particularly with a sister who has some troubles of her own. In his riskiest move to date, Moose decides to take matters into his own hands and writes a letter to Al Capone—the infamous gangster at Alcatraz—asking him to use his connections to help his sister get into school. And guess what? Within days, Natalie is accepted into the Esther P. Marinoff School. Huh. Autism takes a tremendous toll on families. Beyond the need to arrange for basic custodial care corresponding to the severity of the affliction, parents must wade through myriad treatment options that are variable and largely unproven. The search for an effective intervention, as is shown by the experience of the Flanagan family, requires tremendous commitment and expense, and even today there are no guarantees for success. In the process, Moose is robbed of his childhood, and his mother is literally driven to the brink of insanity. Forget everything you think you know about moose, because Moose Flanagan is neither covered in fur, nor does he have ridiculously long legs. Instead, he's just a kid trying to make it in the 1930s… with an autistic sister… and Al Capone for a neighbor. He's living in a whole different kind of wilderness from his four-legged namesakes. This book really tugged at my heart strings. I couldn't help but feel for Moose's character as his mother forced him to mature sooner than he was ready for. For being so young, he was a huge help to Natalie and she seemed to improve when she was with him. Unfortunately, many parents focus too much on "fixing" their children instead of accepting and loving them for who they are. Because there wasn't a diagnosis for autism during the time period, I understand Moose's mother's frustration with Natalie's illness, but it was difficult to side with her on her actions. I wanted her to recognize Moose's participation in Natalie's improvement. I wanted her to show Moose her love. But it just didn't happen and I felt for him.

One of your negative reviewers mentioned "It's full of vulgar words and very violent." I know some people find the use of "Jesus", when not used as a religious reference, offensive. It occurs three times; there are no other "vulgar" words in the book.

Autism hits really close to home for Gennifer Choldenko. Her sister Gina, whom she dedicated the book to, actually has autism herself. So Choldenko's depiction of Natalie, Moose's autistic sister, isn't just a throw away element of the plot; it's a major component to this story.