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Al Capone Does My Shirts Review

I look forward to 4th quarter of the school year, every year. Not because it's almost time for summer vacation, but because my 7th grade English & reading class reads Al Capone Does My Shirts. It is so fun to teach because the students love it so much and are engaged and totally invested in this book and it's characters.

The best part of the book is hooking the boys with the title, they get so excited when they think that we are reading about Al Capone. And the girls are totally invested from page 1. The language Gennifer Choldenko uses is very realistic dialogue and relatable to the dialogue of students today. While I am unsure if the colorful similes and metaphors are realistic to the 1935's they certainly get a lot of laughs from my students.

While this is not just a story about kids living on Alcatraz, it's much deeper. One of the best aspects of the book is the relationship between Moose and his autistic sister Natalie. While she is not outed in the book as autistic, because in 1935 there wasn't a diagnosis of autism available. My students can usually figure out that Nat is autistic before it is revealed in the authors notes in the back of the book. This is a great teachable moment to pull in information about why Natalie is not in school, the importance of the Ester P. Marinoff school, autism now vs. then, etc. Every year my students ask different questions and we go more in-depth into Natalie.

I highly recommend this book and Al Capone Shines My Shoes, both are great books!

Al Capone Does My Shirts Feature

ISBN13: 9780142403709
Condition: New
Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Al Capone Does My Shirts Overview

Murderers, mob bosses, and convicts . . . these guys are not your average neighbors. Unless you live on Alcatraz. It’s 1935 and twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan and his family have just moved to the infamous island that’s home to criminals like notorious escapee Roy Gardner, Machine Gun Kelly, and of course, Al Capone. Now Moose has to try to fit in at his new school, avoid getting caught up in one of the warden’s daughter’s countless plots, and keep an eye on his sister Natalie, who’s not like other kids. All Moose wants to do is protect Natalie, live up to his parents’ expectations, and stay out of trouble. But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.

A Newbery Honor Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
An ALA Notable Book
People magazine Best Kids’ Book
A School Library JournalBest Book of the Year
A Kirkus Editor’s Choice
A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award
A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
A Junior Library Guild selection
A Children’s BOMC selection

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Customer Reviews

Great book for anyone! - Julie -
I think this book was very good! It is very easy to read and you can really connect with the characters. This book makes you happy, sad, and all emotions inbetween which really brings you into the story. This is a great book for all ages!

caution with age level - mcmom -
I picked this up for my 10 year old because of the Newbery Honor award. But the back cover mentioned murderers, rapists, hit men -- I thought I needed to read it through to figure out how much details on these crimes. There is a part where the main character loses his autistic sister and finds her she is sitting with a 'con.' there is many questions that could be brought up from why the boy is so concerned and trying to figure out how much time they were alone together. There are phrases like -- Men that hadn't seen a woman in a long time, or exclamations like, "Sweet Jesus." Review it for your kid. My kid is NOT ready for the subject matter of this book. This book may be more appropriate for middle schoolers.

Truly Inspiring - Xuan Nguyen -
Heartfelt and charming, Gennifer Choldenko's purely inspirational novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, will take hold of your heart and never let it go. The novel embodies the meaning of true sacrifice through sibling love. Because of his older sister's disabilities, twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan, recently adapting to his new home in Alcatraz in 1935, must care for her while his father works at the Alcatraz prison and while his mother is busy trying to find a school suiting Natalie's needs. Moose worries if his family will fit into society with Natalie around. His new life changes as he meets new people and as he comes face-to-face with danger and sacrifice.
Though a historical fiction novel, the story truly inspires one with the tear jerking moments throughout the book like no other story or genre, for that matter. Gennifer Choldenko genuinely illustrates love and endurance through her own life with her autistic sister. With this novel and the sequel, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, Choldenko won the Newbery Honor Award as a phenomenal accolade. She now resides with her two children and her German Shepherd dog. Choldenko's Al Capone Does My Shirts is, ultimately, a prodigious read, incredible for any age.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jul 29, 2010 06:55:07

Children's Books

Thursday, July 29, 2010