Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (2004, Hardcover)

Here's a great book for middle schoolers...and they learn a lot about life in the 20s and 30s in the process.

Here's something I didn't know...when Alcatraz was a prison, its guards and workers lived on the island along with their families.

This story follows a rag-tag group of kids, all children of the Alcatraz workers, in their days on the island. Al Capone, who is living on Alcatraz at the time, is a source of fascination for the kids. Rumors fly about him and his crimes, and the kids are always on the lookout.

The story really centers around a boy and his sister, who suffers from Autism. He struggles to include her as part of the group while trying not to become an outcast among his friends. Throughout the story, the family searches for a suitable school, which really didn't exist back then.

Kids are fascinated with Al Capone today, and the story really appeals to boys in general for that reason. This is a great book for fourth through seventh grade.

My son loved reading this book. It kept his attention the whole way through. I highly recommend this book for any child over 9.