"Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko

Summary of "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
Moose and his family has moved to Alcatraz as a guard and electrician for the prison.  Other children also live on the island. The warden's daughter concocts a scheme to charge money to children at school for getting their laundry washed at the prison by famous prisoners such as Al Capone. Natalie, Moose's sister, needs to get into a special school nearby, the real reason for going to Alcatraz. When she is rejected, Moose must help care for her.  His mother is devastated, and still determined to get Natalie help. An unexpected solution is provided from within the prison itself.

Choldenko, G. (2004).  Al Capone Does My Shirts.  New York, NY: Scholastic, Incorporated.

Personal Impressions of "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Choldenko
If you want to know what it's like to have a child with autism, this book is an excellent resource.  The author's own experiences with an autistic sister really adds credibility to the accuracy of what it is like to care and live with an autistic child. She provides a genuine look at the hopes, trials, discouragement, and fears within a family who has a child with a disability.  Even though many think that children are mean to other children with disabilities, I have found that compassion and concern is more prevalent. I'm so glad that the author provides this perspective with Moose and his friends.  The history of autism and Alcatraz are nicely done, and I really liked her inclusion of children's fascination with famous criminals.  The setting is appropriate, as I see it as a metaphor of Natalie's life, the prison of autism.

Reviews for "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Choldenko
  
Author Choldenko has written a funny and clever middle grade novel about a boy named Matthew (Moose) Flanagan who is living on Alcatraz Island with his family. The family has moved to the Island because Moose's father has found work as an electrician, and because his sister Natalie, who is autistic, can go to a good school nearby. Moose is not happy about living on the island, especially after meeting the Warden's daughter Piper who is bossy and a bit of a troublemaker. Moose's father has warned him to stay out of trouble because he needs this job and Natalie needs to go to the special school. Moose's life becomes miserable when Piper involves him and a few other island kids in a moneymaking scheme to have their schoolmates' clothes laundered by the convicts on Alcatraz Island. Piper tempts her school chums by claiming that Al Capone, the famous gangster, may even wash their shirts. The scheme falls apart when the Warden finds out what his daughter and friends are up to. Then, to make matters worse, the school that Natalie attends doesn't want her and she has to come home. Moose winds up watching her and has to forego his Monday after-school baseball game. This is an amusing book about interesting characters placed in a different and unlikely setting and trying to make the best of their situation.
Review by Della A. Yannuzzi of Children's Literature and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

Jobs are hard to come by in 1935, so Moose's father doesn't hesitate to move his family to Alcatraz when he gets work as a guard there. Moose, age 12, is far from pleased, though. His friends and baseball team are back in San Francisco, his father works long hours, and when his mother takes a job too he is put in charge of minding his sister Natalie. Natalie is older than he is, but she is autistic, and she can be very difficult to deal with at times because of her obsessive behavior and temper tantrums. Meanwhile, Moose meets the warden's attractive but trouble-seeking daughter, Piper. He learns about the island and the prisoners, and reluctantly becomes involved in Piper's schemes, such as charging classmates for the opportunity to have their laundry done by the inmates—hence the title. Al Capone features briefly as a minor character, and in desperation Moose writes to him to ask him to use his influence to gain Natalie a place at a special school, a long-held dream of his mother's. Rather than a novel of gangsters, then, as some might think from the title, this is a coming-of-age tale about a boy dealing with his autistic sister, albeit in an unusual setting—YAs hoping for gory details of criminal and prison life will have to go elsewhere. Choldenko, author of Notes From a Liar and Her Dog, offers a sensitive portrait of autism and how it affects a family, and in a author's note at the end she discusses her research about life on Alcatraz and on autism, and mentions that her own sister has autism. An affecting novel.
Review by Paula Rohrlick of KLIATT and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

Suggestions for Use in Library or School
Host an autism awareness program with guest speakers. An occupational therapist could demonstrate sensory dysfunction, a common problem in autism, and a few simple exercises to help.  A behavioral therapist could show how important a schedule and reinforcement is for autistic individuals to achieve success and reduce problem behaviors.  A speech therapist could provide a PECS demonstration, and explain how pictoral representations help children with disabilities to communicate even when their speech is limited.  Consider the following additional speakers:
a parent or sibling of an autistic child
behavior therapist explaining DTT (discrete trial training)
behavior therapist explaining verbal behavior terminology such as tacts and mands
therapist explaining Floor Time (playtime)
therapist using water therapy or horseback riding for special needs children
RDI (relationship development)
AAC (augmentative device for communication)
Recommend the movie "Thinking in Pictures" which is the life story of Temple Grandin; famous autistic adult who is a college professor and inventor

"Acceleration" by Graham McNamee

Summary of Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Duncan is working at Toronto's lost and found for the subway.  In the midst of this boring summer job, he finds a brown book with no name.  The journal of a very disturbed individual, the entries appear to be accelerating into the marks of a serial killer.  After a failed attempt to interest the police in what he's found, Duncan and his friend Vinny decide to find the psycho themself.  Instead, he shows up on his own, looking for the diary and Duncan's life is in danger.

McNamee, G. (2003).  Acceleration.  New York, NY:  Wendy Lamb Books.

Personal Reflections of Acceleration
Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Duncan feels compelled to save someone.  His obsession over this incident is effecting his present life.  In his mind, finding the journal is a way to redeem himself.  The book is a fast-paced thriller with sarcastic humor.  Since Duncan seems down in the dumps, it's a good fit.  The story is believable, although most people wouldn't want to try to track down a serial killer.  The author also uses hot and cold elements throughout the book for emphasis on certain passages.

Reviews
"Seventeen-year-old Duncan hates his summer job in the lost-and-found department of the Toronto Transit Commission. In his office below the subway tunnels, Duncan sorts through and retrieves items lost on buses and trains: a golf club, sunglasses, giant thong underwear, umbrellas, and cell phones. When he looks through a lost diary and finds a would-be murderer's plans for his first victim, he decides to hunt him down. Having failed recently in an attempt to save a drowning girl, he sees this as a chance to redeem himself and stop his nightmares. Enlisting his wise-guy friends, Vinny and Wayne, he stalks the stalker and finds himself in over his head. The creepy, morgue-like setting and the friendship among the teenaged boys are well-drawn, with a fair amount of humor to balance the chills. Though readers may wonder why Duncan fails to consider certain obvious points along the way, this is a well-written, read-it-in-one-gulp thriller."
Review by Kirkus and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

"Seventeen-year-old Duncan is haunted by the fact that he was unable to save a drowning girl a few yards away one fateful afternoon the previous September. This summer he has a job working underground at the Toronto subway lost and found where he uncovers, amid the piles of forgotten junk, an opportunity to exorcise his own guilty demons. When business is slow, Duncan spends his time rummaging through dusty shelves and boxes of unclaimed items. During one of these sessions, he uncovers a strange, leather-bound book that turns out to be the diary of a would-be serial killer. Unable to tear himself from the gory descriptions of tortured animals and arson, he discovers that the writer has started to stalk women on the subway. When the police seem disinterested, the teen takes matters into his own hands, and with the aid of his two best friends, tries to track and trap the murderer before he can strike. This chilling page-turner is all thrills, and the author cleverly manipulates readers' sense of disbelief by eliminating the possibility of police help or parental understanding. What results is one teen's self-conscious yet fast-paced journey into the mind of a cold-blooded killer, and the resulting manhunt will keep readers on the edge of their seats."
Review by Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library, Copyright 2003, Reed Business Information, and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

Suggestions for Use in Library and School
Three choices for an essay.  Write a different ending to the story.  What does "acceleration" mean within the story?  Why is it impossible for Duncan to get the police interested or discuss with his parents what was found in the diary?

"The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster

Summary of The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Milo finds life boring.  After a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he enters and discovers bizarre worlds.  From Dictionopolis to the island of Conclusions, Milo is continually growing in his awareness of the adventures that can be found in life all around him if he would just open his eyes.

Juster, N. (1989).  The Phantom Tollbooth.  New York, NY:  Random House, Incorporated.

Personal Impressions of The Phantom Tollbooth
In the style of Alice in Wonderland, a world of humorous and unique places are presented as answers to Milo's boredom.  A book that's fun, but makes you think with its puns and word play.  Explanations, inventions, and adventure awaits everyone who searches for it in life.

Reviews of The Phantom Tollbooth
"Hero Milo "didn't know what to do with himself-not just sometimes, but always." One day he returns from school to find an easy to assemble tollbooth and when he drives through it, Milo finds wild adventures in Dictionopolis, the land of words; Digitopolis, the world of numbers, and many locations in between. He is on a quest in this nonsensical land to bring back the Princess of Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason. The book is filled with wild characters like the Spelling Bee who spells more than he speaks. There are silly word plays like the time Milo makes a speech at dinner and is surprised to find out how he has to eat his words. Life philosophy is mixed with tons of punny, funny humor. He is so changed by his travels that when he returns home he is only momentarily disappointed when the tollbooth disappears. As Milo says, "there's just so much to do right here." A children's classic for parent and child to enjoy together."
Review by Children's Literature and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble Editorial Reviews.

"I think this book inspired my love of puns and wordplay, not to mention math and word games. It brought to earth large concepts like Boredom and Truth."
Review by Maggi Idzikowski,Media Specialist, Allen Elementary School, Ann Arbor MI and Retrieved from School Library Journal Online.

Suggestions for Use in Library or School
Ask students to write an essay explaining what they do when they are bored.  For older students, ask them to explain how the word play found in The Phantom Tollbooth  enhanced the story and made it more memorable. Milo's experience helped him with his boredom and said at the end of the story "there's just so much to do right here." Create a story that tells what he does next.

For younger students, let them draw a picture of Watchdog, Digitopolis, or another character in the story, or let them create their own word play picture.  (Ex. flying pigs "When pigs can fly.")

"Eragon" by Christopher Paolini

Summary of Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Eragon is a 15 year old boy from the town of Carvahall.  He hunts in the Spine, a mysterious forest.  While hunting, he discovers a blue stone and hopes to trade it for food.  The blue stone is actually an egg that hatches a dragon.  An evil king is after the egg and he flees.  Brom helps him understand dragons and  learn how to fight with a sword.  If you find a dragon egg and it hatches for you, then you become a dragon rider.  A big battle ensues, and the leader of the Varden, the good side, is killed, but Eragon defeats the Shade, the evil king's right hand man. 

Personal Impressions of Eragon
The book begins with intense action and suspension.  Small portions are handed to the reader, with explanations to follow later in the book.  The struggle between good and evil permeates this novel with anticipation mounting for the second book in the series.  Many children enjoy folklore such as dragons, and this story delivers with the boy having his own personal dragon.  Magic, evil, elves, dwarfs, spirits, and other typical fantasy elements are present as well.  Imaginative details such as the carved city in the mountains are inventive additions to the story.

Review of Eragon
Eragon is filled with nightmare moments, dreams, visions. It never falters in its velocity. Its plot is episodic rather than climactic; it is clearly part of a larger work. The 500-plus pages race past. I found myself dreaming about it at night, and reaching for it as soon as I woke. Like countless other readers, I am waiting to see what happens next, with wonder, with admiration and with hope. As Eragon's dragon tells him, ''All will be well, little one.''
Review by Liz Rosenberg of New York Times and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble Editorial Reviews

I don't know what you were up to at age 15, but it is a good bet that you weren't penning 500-page fantasy novels. But that is the age that Christopher Paolini began writing the first volume in his fantasy series, the "Inheritance" trilogy. When young Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he doesn't realize that he has just taken the first step in becoming a Dragon Rider. After the egg hatches, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, begin an adventure that includes all the classic elements of myth-the death of a loved one; a harrowing journey; an elderly mentor; a seemingly indestructible enemy. Sprinkle in a little romance and you have the makings of a classic story. It is remarkable that young Paolini has been able to mold the pieces together in a mature and cohesive narrative. His eye and ear for detail, especially in describing the natural world, are topnotch. Paolini's world of Alagaesia is complex and beautiful, no doubt owing to Tolkien and a host of other fantasy authors that Paolini draws upon. Eragon and Saphira relate to one another not as master and pet, but as equals, with both human and dragon possessing strengths and weaknesses. The bottom line is that the "Inheritance" series has all the markings of a best selling juggernaut-a likeable hero, an entertaining storyline, and above all, a unique authorship legend that will captivate his audience.
Review by Christopher Moning of Children's Literature and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble Reviews

Suggestions for Use in Library or School
Maybe a discussion on the legends of dragons, especially the hatching of eggs. Suggest the movie "Legend of the Water Horse."  Ask the following questions:  Why do you think the author chose to include elves and other fantasy characters within the story?  What other stories have these characters?  Do you think other stories influenced the inclusion of these characters?  How is the plot or theme similar to Eragon? How are they different?

"Monster" by Walter Dean Myers

Summary of Monster by Walter Dean Myers
This is the story of an accused 16 year old African American Steve Harmon who is on trial for felony murder.  A drug store is held up and a man is killed in the process.  In order to keep his mind off the trial, he takes down everything that transpires as if it's a movie. Presented in a movie script format, bits and pieces of what transpired is given to the reader little by little.  There are two obvious bad guys, but Steve is lumped in with the crime as the lookout.  While it starts out as looking bad for Steve, by the end of the story you realize the criminals might be using him as a way to get less time in prison.  You are still unsure if he participated or not, and so is he. It's not until the very end of the book that you hear the verdict.

Myers, W.D. (1999).  Monster.  New York, NY:  Harper Collins Children's Books.

Personal Impression of Monster by Myers
The format presentation is very different.  By putting this story in a movie script form, the story can be given in bite-size pieces with flashbacks to the scene of the crime and other instances prior to the robbery.  In the beginning of the story, it appears that he very well may be part of the crime.  Even then, some sympathy can be given to Steve as he seems to be a teenager just trying to be tough but getting in way over his head with some bad guys.  It's not until the end of the story that you realize that the criminals hardly know him, and could be using him as a way to get less time. Steve's personal testimony, his teacher's character witness, and the evidence that no one, outside of the criminal's testimony, identified him at the scene of the crime was enough for the jury to acquit him. However, the reader is still left to wonder if he might be guilty.  Even Steve himself isn't really sure. I really think the movie format worked for this book, and gave a level of suspense by only offering up small pieces of the story. His personal feelings interspersed within the text gives one the understanding of how fearful it is to be accused of a crime with the possibility of spending years in prison. Even more disturbing is how easy it is for associations to turn into more sinister things, either by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or hanging out with the wrong people.  Maybe the author wanted to convey the suggestion that you need to watch who you surround yourself with because people will assume you are just like them.

Reviews of Monster by Myers
"Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon has been charged as an adult accomplice to murder. Steve resorts to his passion for filmmaking to put some order to and make some sense of his ordeal; his trial is presented as a movie. The reader feels his panic over the possibility of spending life in prison and his fears of being beaten and sexually abused there. The attorneys present their cases before the jury and the drama builds just as it would in a movie. Steve feels the surrealism of the stark reality he is facing. The reader is drawn into the trial, trying to determine, as is Steve himself, if he is the Monster that the prosecutor says he is, or a victim of circumstance. The film script concept works well on many levels. The illustrations, intermittently placed, present Steve in various ways: photos with his mother, on the drugstore surveillance camera, in a courtroom drawing, and in his mug shots. They give an added sense of reality to the narrative. This is a powerful, intense, thought-provoking story. It is great for discussions about the judicial system, pre-judging, self-perception, parent-child relationships and our prison system."
Review by Children's Literature and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

"In a riveting novel from Myers (At Her Majesty's Request, 1999, etc.), a teenager who dreams of being a filmmaker writes the story of his trial for felony murder in the form of a movie script, with journal entries after each day's action. Steve is accused of being an accomplice in the robbery and murder of a drug store owner. As he goes through his trial, returning each night to a prison where most nights he can hear other inmates being beaten and raped, he reviews the events leading to this point in his life. Although Steve is eventually acquitted, Myers leaves it up to readers to decide for themselves on his protagonist's guilt or innocence. The format of this taut and moving drama forcefully regulates the pacing; breathless, edge-of-the-seat courtroom scenes written entirely in dialogue alternate with thoughtful, introspective journal entries that offer a sense of Steve's terror and confusion, and that deftly demonstrate Myers's point: the road from innocence to trouble is comprised of small, almost invisible steps, each involving an experience in which a "positive moral decision" was not made."
Review by Kirkus and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

Suggestions for Use in a Library or School
This is a great way to talk about many social issues.  Ask students to write an essay on how they would feel if they were accused of a crime they didn't commit.  Here are some other essay questions or discussion questions.  Why do you think Steve was afraid of going to prison?  What could he have done differently to avoid the entire situation?  Do you think he is guilty?  Do you think his lawyer did a good job? Do you think his lawyer thought he was innocent?  Why or Why not?  Do you think a lookout for a crime is as guilty as those who commit the crime?  What does this story tell you about relationships (friends, acquaintances, parent/child, teacher/student, lawyer/client)? Can criminals be trusted to testify truthfully against other criminals in order to get less time?  Is this a fair practice that the law should allow?

"Hope Was Here" by Joan Bauer

Summary of Hope was Here by Joan Bauer
Addie and Hope travel the country as a cook and a waitress.  Every place they leave, Hope leaves this message; "Hope was here."  Now they are traveling to a small town in Wisconsin, where the cafe owner is dying of leukemia.  When they arrive, the owner announces his political run for mayor which makes him a target of the local corruption that permeates the city government.  He surprises both Addie and Hope by proposing marriage to Addie and adoption of Hope.  He's the nicest man Hope has ever known, but her past makes it difficult for her to trust anyone.  With time Hope lets go of her fears, and enjoys the time she has with her newly formed family.  She now has a permanent home.  Lots of food analogies are found throughout the book. Fun, but has emotional parts as well.

Bauer, J. (2000).  Hope Was Here.  New York, NY:  G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Personal Impressions of Hope Was Here by Bauer
This is a wonderful realistic fiction book!  Real-life problems with humor.  The ending is bittersweet.  I really enjoyed the use of food as a way to help people within the story.  This compliments the theme of the story.  I noticed that the author uses lots of short phrases, similar to how waitresses place orders in to the cook.  But it also made the story flow more like real life, as dialogue and even a good story is not told in complete sentences but should be a reflection of how people really talk.  Really enjoyable!

Review of Hope Was Here by Bauer
"Sixteen year old Hope (formerly called Tulip) knows all about survival, but the latest move she must make with her aunt Addie is calculated to test even her resilience. In Wisconsin, the Welcome Stairways diner awaits Hope, as does its owner, G.T.Stoop, and a cast of characters both noble and nefarious. Hope's is a fresh young voice, and her story is about finding trust in the middle of corruption, optimism in the mayhem of smalltown politics, and faith, above all, in the power of the spirit. Which is good, because when she comes to face the reality of loss, Hope is going to need all the spirit she has and then some. Bauer creates a believable world in this crisplytold tale."
Review by Uma Krishnaswami of Children's Literature and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

"Bauer (Rules of the Road; Squashed) serves up agreeable fare in this tale of a teenage waitress's search for a sense of belonging. Sixteen-year-old Hope has grown used to the nomadic life she has built with her aunt Addie, a talented diner cook. She doesn't mind the hard work it takes to make a diner hum; she seems to have inherited a knack for waiting tables from the free-spirit mom (Addie's younger sister) who abandoned her years ago. But Hope would gladly give up always having to say good-bye to friends and places she loves. When Addie accepts a new job that takes the pair from Brooklyn to the Welcome Stairways diner in Mulhoney, Wis., Hope never could have imagined the big changes ahead of her. She and Addie shine in the small-town milieu and gladly offer to help diner owner G.T. Stoop, who is battling leukemia, run for mayor. Along the way, Addie and Hope both find love, and Hope discovers the father figure she has so desperately wanted. Readers will recognize many of Bauer's hallmarks here--a strong female protagonist on the road to self-discovery, quirky characters, dysfunctional families, a swiftly moving story, moments of bright humor. Her vivid prose, often rich in metaphor (e.g., Hope's description of the Brooklyn diner: "The big, oval counter... sat in the middle of the place like the center ring in a circus"), brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life. The author resolves a few of her plot points a bit too tidily, but her fans won't mind. They're likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food. Ages 12-up."
Review by Publishers Weekly and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

"Another entry in Bauer's growing collection of books about likable and appealing female teenagers with a strong vocational calling. Ivy Breedlove in Backwater (1999) is a historian, Jenna Boller in Rules of the Road (1998) is a talented salesperson, and Hope Yancey's gift is for waitressing. As the novel begins, Hope, 16, and her aunt Addie are about to move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, where Addie will manage and cook for a diner called the Welcome Stairways. Hope, whose mother abandoned her as an infant and who has never known her father, is pretty welladjusted, all things considered. She throws herself into her new life in the small town, working on the grassroots mayoral campaign of the diner's owner, quickly acquiring a boyfriend and friends, and proving herself to be a stellar waitress (she's been working in restaurants most of her life, after all, and one of the few things her mother has given her is a list of waitressing tips). Despite having moved so often and having had such inadequate biological parents, Hope isn't afraid to connect to people. The relationship between Hope and G.T., the man who owns the diner and who eventually marries her aunt is especially touching and sweetly portrayed. He's everything Hope ever wished for in a father. It could be said that the occupation of waitressing is overidealized; it's portrayed as the noblest of professions. But the lessons she's learned from the job are essential to Hope's character and a part of why the plot develops as it does. More important, and as always from Bauer, this novel is full of humor, starring a strong and idealistic protagonist, packed with funny lines, and peopledwithinteresting and quirky characters."
Review by Kirkus Reviews and Retrieved from Barnes & Noble.

Suggestions for Use in Library or School
What a great book for demonstrating the political process!  Ask the students to comment on how G.T.  handled his political difficulties.  Did he do the best thing?  Do you have an suggestions?  What were the steps for him to run for office?  Was it wise for him to run as sick as he was?  Why do you think he did it anyway?  What do you think about G.T. as mayor?

Another option; it would be fun to have the students create their own diner menu and name the diner, with an explanation of their choices.