Al Capone Shines My Shoes

Feb 01, 2012

Kole Soto rated it

Al Capone Does my Shirts & Shines my Shoes is a great novel to read. Not my very favorite, but very god still. It's a little to easy to understand without much puzzles. Well, that isn't including Piper. With her prodigious ego, love for trouble, and the fact her dad is the Warden of Alcatraz it's easy to see why. Even Mr. Flanagan is puzzled by Piper and would much rather let Moose deal with her. "She's a wild one. Think I'll let you handle her on your own." (Choldenko 54).Overall the...more Al Capone Does my Shirts & Shines my Shoes is a great novel to read. Not my very favorite, but very god still. It's a little to easy to understand without much puzzles. Well, that isn't including Piper. With her prodigious ego, love for trouble, and the fact her dad is the Warden of Alcatraz it's easy to see why. Even Mr. Flanagan is puzzled by Piper and would much rather let Moose deal with her. "She's a wild one. Think I'll let you handle her on your own." (Choldenko 54).Overall the book has a great plot. IT is about a bot and his family trying to get his autistic sister help. But not without many complications on the side.
"Nothing is the way it's supposed to be when you live on an island with a billion birds, a ton of bird poop, a few dozen rifles, machine guns, and automatics and 278 of Americas worst criminals--- "the cream of the criminal crop" as one of our felons like to say." (Choldenko 1). That's one of the most memorable paragraphs. In fact when I was about to write this opinions paragraph I knew I would pick this paragraph because it is the most memorable. It really starts the second book with a jumpstart. My favorite character in this book is Theresa. It is hilarious how she thinks she' queen of Alcatraz and can control everyone. In fact, she'd probably make a good dictator.
Choldenko also has a far more than exceptional vocabulary. She is able to give me a mental picture of what's happening. It's like a movie.......... But in my head. Some of my favorite words/phrases are- "Orange flowers draped from a trellisd tiny pink and purple flowers the size of a lady's thumbnail spill over the planter." (Choldenko 66). "Then she holds the bag close to her, the way my gram holds her pocketbook when she thinks pickpockets are around." (Choldenko 97). "I roll my eyes. How can she be so blasé about this. It's almost as if she wants to get caught." (Choldenko 120).
Gennifer Choldenko definitely has her own unique style with this series. It's like the world is against Moose Flanagan and he must make all right. Just when Moose makes all right it has to topple down. On top of that, Natalie is just the opposite. Just when Moose thinks she can't get worse she does something really good. Like when he was the shortest kid in his grade and she just started calling him Moose. Now his dad is going to sell his meals as super growth formula and he's a little big for 7th grade. (less)

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Dec 29, 2011

Emily rated it

Shelves: audio, good-for-boys, historical-fiction, ya

Why I picked it up: I recently re-read Al Capone Does My Shirts, and this sequel was not out at the time I had originally read it.

This books picks up about 2 months after Al Capone Does My Shirts ends. Natalie is about to start at The Esther P. Marinoff School. Moose’s school is out for the summer. Moose gets a slip of paper in his shirt pocket—it’s from Al Capone, and he wants a favor in exchange for helping Moose at the end of the first book.

I enjoyed it. I really...more

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Mar 23, 2011

Rosalia rated it

Shelves: 2011, tween, historical-fiction, humor, boy-reads, battle-of-the-books

Al Capone Shines My Shoes is the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, a 2005 Newbery Honor book. Moose is still living on Alcatraz with his family but now his sister Natalie is finally attending a school that will help her. Moose feels the family's group dynamic changing and life feels just a little bit freer now. Unfortunately Moose gets drawn back into trouble again by Piper, the warden's daughter and by the favor he called in from prisoner #85 Al Capone to get Natalie into school. Will Moo...more

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Mar 22, 2011

Steven Kent rated it

Shelves: light-reading, young-adult-kids

A fun book with a light touch, Al Capone Shines My Shoes is a family story told by the son of an Alcatraz prison guard living in the family barracks on the island. Capone is not so much a central figure in the book as he is a looming presence, the heavy hand that is never far from many of the characters' thought.

As the book begins, the Flanagan family is preparing to send daughter Natalie to a special school for troubled children--"troubled" meaning the unnamed disease tha...more

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Nov 18, 2010

Abigail Beckwith rated it

Shelves: children, historical-fiction

This is a great example of an interesting atypical work of historical fiction. Moose lives on Alcatraz Island. This provides a unique setting. I really liked the look at the convicts, the 30s slang, the authentic feel the book gave off (everyone is so into baseball!). Very quick, fun (slightly suspenseful) read. Capone did a favor for Moose, and Moose is just waiting to hear what he will have to do in return.. A little suspense, and some action ensue. The novel's themes include: people bei...more

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Jul 05, 2010

Suebee rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read the original "Al Capone Does My Shirts" in graduate school in 2005, so it's been 5 years where I could have forgotten all about Moose Flanagan and his sister Natalie, living on Alcatraz Island in the 1930s. But no, I have never forgotten about Moose and this book reminded me why. I really appreciate Gennifer Choldenko's obvious care for detail and historical research, as evidenced in the extensive notes in the back of the book.

Moose is 12 and the son of a pri...moreI read the original "Al Capone Does My Shirts" in graduate school in 2005, so it's been 5 years where I could have forgotten all about Moose Flanagan and his sister Natalie, living on Alcatraz Island in the 1930s. But no, I have never forgotten about Moose and this book reminded me why. I really appreciate Gennifer Choldenko's obvious care for detail and historical research, as evidenced in the extensive notes in the back of the book.

Moose is 12 and the son of a prison guard on Alcatraz Island. In book one, "Al Capone Does My Shirts," Moose wants nothing but the best for his older sister Natalie, who exhibits traits like not making eye contact or melting down at loud noises.. traits that we now know constitute autism. At the end of the first book, Moose receives word that there is finally an open spot for Natalie at the Esther P Marinoff Boarding School (for children with special needs), and he also receives a note in his shirt pocket that said "Done." He believes that somehow, Al Capone must have been responsible (relating to an earlier prison-laundering scheme in the book).

Natalie leaves for the boarding school, and Moose has a few new problems - his best "girl friend" Annie and other friend Jimmy Mattaman notices he cares more about his "school friend" Scout, who just wants to play ball (and possibly score a look at Piper, a 'doll' and the daughter of the prison warden).

Moose's fear that Al Capone may want "payback" is realized - he receives a note in his pillow one day that says "The wife likes yellow roses." Moose has to figure out a way to give Mae Capone yellow roses and not get his father fired.

Too many plot details to list here...including Piper's mother being gravely sick while birthing Piper's baby brother, Moose meeting Al Capone after having to rush Baby Mattaman to the only doctor on the island (in the prison house), "Prisoner #109" coming to visit Natalie while he is on parole and sneaking a bar spreader into her suitcase, an attempted escape / kidnapping in which 3 prisoners hold a fake gun to Moose's head, and an underground passageway being used by the kids on the island to eavesdrop on the neighbors.

Gennifer paints a realistic picture of a 12 year old boy, too, not always perfect in his loyalties, telling a lie when he has to, but loyal to his family.(less)

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Oct 28, 2009

Sandra Stiles rated it

Shelves: middle-grades

This is the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts. Moose still lives on Alcatraz island where his father is a guard. Thanks to Al Capone his autistic sister has found a place into the Esther P. Marinoff School. Moose is grateful until he receives a note in his shirt that says “your turn”. Another note tells him that Mae Capone is coming for a visit and she loves yellow roses. Now he has to find a way to give her yellow roses without getting his father fired. This was a great book. It was filled wit...more

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Oct 10, 2009

Relyn rated it

Recommends it for: tweens and their teachers

Recommended to Relyn by: I already loved the author

I was so excited to see that Moose and his pals were back for another Alcatraz adventure. Really, what an incredible setting for a story. I did enjoy this book, and definitely think it's worth a read. But, I didn't think it was quite as wonderful as Al Capone Does My Shirts. Maybe because the first book was so surprising. I think having an autistic character is powerful, both for the story and because it helps my students. I've had an autistic student in my class nearly every year of my te...more

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Sep 21, 2009

Eva Mitnick rated it

Shelves: children, historical-fiction

12-year-old Moose Flanagan lives, as those who have read Al Capone Does My Shirts will know, on Alcatraz Island, where his dad works. Al Capone seems to have done him a huge favor by somehow getting his autistic big sister Natalie into a special school, and now it’s payback time – Moose finds a note in his freshly laundered shirt that says “Your turn.”

After agonizing about what kind of favor Capone might be expecting from Moose and how it would mean certain dismissal from his...more
12-year-old Moose Flanagan lives, as those who have read Al Capone Does My Shirts will know, on Alcatraz Island, where his dad works. Al Capone seems to have done him a huge favor by somehow getting his autistic big sister Natalie into a special school, and now it’s payback time – Moose finds a note in his freshly laundered shirt that says “Your turn.”

After agonizing about what kind of favor Capone might be expecting from Moose and how it would mean certain dismissal from his Alcatraz job for Moose’s dad if anyone found out (and good jobs aren’t easy to come by in 1935), Moose does manage to fill Capone’s eventual small request without too much trouble. However, a “bar breaker,” a device that inmates use to gradually stretch apart prison bars, turns up in Natalie’s luggage, and this turns out to be just part of a well-orchestrated and dangerous escape plot that only the children of Alcatraz Island notice and foil.

It’s a fairly claustrophobic life living on a tiny island, most of which is off-limits, with only a few other kids near your own age. Choldenko delves quite effectively into the intricacies of trying to get along with everyone while still being true to your self – Moose, whose charm and main flaw both stem from his desire to please everyone all the time and never make anyone mad at him, eventually comes to the conclusion (helped along by his irritated friends) that sometimes people you like can and should hear the truth from you, especially if you want to get closer to them.

As far as the plot goes, the whole situation of convicts living practically cheek-by-jowl with families is fairly suspenseful, and when you mix in a smart and charismatic criminal like Capone, plus some seemingly trustworthy convicts who are allowed to work in the warden’s own house, the action heats up quickly. Add in Moose’s own personal problems with friends, an attractive but difficult girl, and his sister, and it all adds up to a worthy successor to the first book.

Highly recommended for fans of the first book, as well as any reader ages 9 to 13 who relishes a straight-forward suspenseful tale told by a completely likable character.

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Sep 14, 2009

Renee Bush rated it

It is so rare to find a sequel to a winner that is, itself, another winner, but here it is.

Frankly, I expected to be disappointed, as sequels seem to be... well, blech. Not this one!

I am not sure how the author manages so well to make a protagonist of the gender opposite hers, sound so real, so believable; but she does. (I wonder if she has taught middle school, or been a den mother, or something like that.)

The setting of Alcatraz in the thirties is just as...more

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Jul 05, 2009

Mary rated it

Shelves: middle-school-books, historical

Moose Flanagan's sister Natalie has gone to her special school and life at home is more relaxed than it's been since they moved to Alcatraz. But Moose receives a new note that says "Your turn, " and he's not sure what to do. Annie thinks he should tell his father, but Moose makes her promise not to tell. For a while it seems that everyone is mad at Moose: Annie for the notes; Jimmy because Scout insults his inability to play baseball; Piper because Moose runs baby Rocky to Doc Ollie in...more

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Feb 07, 2010

Josiah rated it

I like the remark that Gennifer Choldenko makes in the Acknowledgements at the end of this book, when thanking her editor: "Editing me is sort of like trying to put a seat belt on the Energizer Bunny and Kathy always manages to make it look effortless." That line embodies well the smart humor found often in Al Capone Shines My Shoes, and I can see how a writer with such a sharp mind might be a handful for an editor.

As with its predecessor, this book is one of the most uniq...moreI like the remark that Gennifer Choldenko makes in the Acknowledgements at the end of this book, when thanking her editor: "Editing me is sort of like trying to put a seat belt on the Energizer Bunny and Kathy always manages to make it look effortless." That line embodies well the smart humor found often in Al Capone Shines My Shoes, and I can see how a writer with such a sharp mind might be a handful for an editor.

As with its predecessor, this book is one of the most unique volumes that the genre of historical fiction has ever seen. Usually an historical fiction tome is set in a scene with many other active participants, making it easy for the independent actions of one person to blend in with the thread of history, but there really weren't all that many families living on Alcatraz Island in 1935. Gennifer Choldenko manages this scene with impeccable ability, using her well-crafted characters to tell a story that reaches all points in the spectrum of human emotion, while taking a look at ideas such as responsibility and the necessity of being aware of what's happening around oneself, and the troubles and rewards of living with a family member that has an issue like autism. In her Author's Note, Gennifer Choldenko says that she likes to think that she has kept alive in the pages of her books about Moose Flanagan on Alcatraz something of the spirit of her own autistic sister, and I agree that it seems that she has done this, and very well. Natalie Flanagan is a character who really seems to live and breathe and evoke a sense of who she is in the reader's mind.

Overall, I would say that Al Capone Shines My Shoes is a very good book. The writing is solid, never faltering, and the plot certainly kept me guessing the whole way through. I like the way that Moose's thoughts about life on Alcatraz and about the ways that the other kids who live there affect his own life rang so true to me while reading. Moose is kind of figuring out the mysteries of life and of dealing with others in a world where one doesn't have to be autistic to be majorly confused about relationships, and the lucky person reading the book gets to go along on that journey.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes is highly memorable, very funny, and filled with great characters. It also allows kids to absorb a lot of truly fascinating history while taking in an excellent story at the same time. I would give two and a half stars to this book. (less)

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Sep 28, 2009

Sandy rated it

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, historical-fiction, medical-issues

Sequels make me very, very nervous. I was especially worried about this one since I enjoyed Al Capone Does My Shirts so much. While this was a very good effort, it wasn't quite perfect. It bothers me in the way that so many sequels do: It works fine if you take it on its own out of the context of the original, but somehow the transition to the sequel isn't quite seamless.

Really, the story was great. Moose and his family are back, living on Alcatraz in 1935. Everything picks up ...moreSequels make me very, very nervous. I was especially worried about this one since I enjoyed Al Capone Does My Shirts so much. While this was a very good effort, it wasn't quite perfect. It bothers me in the way that so many sequels do: It works fine if you take it on its own out of the context of the original, but somehow the transition to the sequel isn't quite seamless.

Really, the story was great. Moose and his family are back, living on Alcatraz in 1935. Everything picks up right where Al Capone Does My Shirts left off: Natalie is leaving to attend the special school that everyone hopes will cure her autism, which you may recall she was only able to attend with the help of gangster Al Capone. Everything seems great, until Moose realizes that if Capone can extend his influence beyond the Island, he'll probably want something from Moose in return. And then Moose gets another note in his laundry. Should he tell his parents? Meanwhile, Moose is having a world of normal kid trouble with his Alcatraz friends, who are much more developed than I remember them being in the first book, and with one of the guards who thinks that Natalie is a danger to everyone on the Island.

Excellent premise. I'd even say that the execution was very worthy. But you know how sometimes when you see a movie sequel something is different? Something about the lighting, the digital effects, the addition of new sidekick characters and interesting places, and even the fact that the acting was done a year or two later just makes everything feel slightly different. That's the feel I get from this book.

Maybe this won't bother most readers. I'm sure kids who enjoyed the first one will also eat up this sequel. I'm probably just overly critical in that respect. When it comes down to it, the book did its job: It extended the story in a believable, engaging way. Besides, we finally get to meet Al Capone fact to face. Can't complain about that!

My only true qualm about this book: Piper. She was so cool in the first book, and now she's reduced to the whiny love interest who's a suffragist waiting to happen. Where she was once devious and interesting, she's now just a little desperate and pathetic.(less)

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Jul 10, 2009

Roxanne Hsu Feldman rated it

Shelves: bestbooks, 4-6grade, historicalfiction, mystery

I am completely delighted by this book. I really enjoyed the first one and this one holds up, well and strong, and I think it works even better. Maybe because I thought, "What can she come up with that can top the first book?" before starting to read this one.. and Choldenko absolutely pulled it off. There is humor and tension all throughout the book, not to mention some hard-to-sort-out moral dilemmas. Over the years, my students have loved the first book -- from really strong rea...more

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Feb 24, 2010

Sri rated it

Shelves: children, young-adult

Moose adalah remaja yang menjadi idola semua orang, kecuali Darby Trixle (Darby Trixle tidak menyukai semua orang). Moose selalu berusaha bersikap manis pada semua orang. Tapi yang namanya hidup bersama, walaupun sudah berusaha sedemikian rupa tetap saja tak akan membuat semua orang puas. Di umurnya yang masih muda, Moose harus memastikan kakaknya bahagia, ibunya tenang dan ayahnya tidak dipecat dari pekerjaan. Itu tidaklah gampang karena Natalie, kakaknya, mengidap autisme. Buku ini bersetting ...more

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Nov 29, 2009

Conor rated it

Shelves: 10th-grade-advisory

Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Hardcover)
Gennifer Choldenko
274 pages
Dial Books for Young Readers
New York, NY 10014
Copyright April 2009

Al Capone Shines My Shoes takes place on Alcatraz a prisoner island off San Francisco in the late 1930s. Al Capone, a real life gangster mobster of the 30s, is one of the many prisoners. Seven children live on the island and spend thier time playing baseball. There's not much to do on the island, and all the childr...more Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Hardcover)
Gennifer Choldenko
274 pages
Dial Books for Young Readers
New York, NY 10014
Copyright April 2009

Al Capone Shines My Shoes takes place on Alcatraz a prisoner island off San Francisco in the late 1930s. Al Capone, a real life gangster mobster of the 30s, is one of the many prisoners. Seven children live on the island and spend thier time playing baseball. There's not much to do on the island, and all the childrens parents are prison guards or laundry people. Al Capone, though a criminal, helped the main character Matthew (Moose) Flannigan out a lot.

Matthew has a sister with Autism who isn't diagnosed. Natalie, or Nat as she is called has a button collection. With the help of Al Capone in the first book Al Capone Does My Laundry through the exchanging of notes in laundry Natalie got into the Ester P. Marinoff school. This school was an excuse to try to get Natalie "normal". At the time Autism was not a diganosed disease and Natalie was classified as a disturbance to the island.

The Warden is in charge of the island. There aren't many children, the oldest is about our age. There's Annie, the killer ball player, Moose Flannigan, Natalie who attends that special school, Theresa, Trixle, Scout the crummy ball player, and Piper with the sick pregnant mother.

They live in a black and white world similar to the Giver . Differences aren't appreciated and the warden watches out for convicts. Though a prisoner Al Capone is really the good guy. The other prisoners try to escape the island through dental floss and hold the other children at gunpoint as hostages and steal babies.

Of course, like most distopias (or utopias) there are a lot of dumb rules. Exchanging notes in the laundry posed a severe threat to the prisoner guards and Moose Flannigan's family. All Al Capone really wanted was to give Mae Capone (his wife a flower). Moose Flannigan would later on get shunned by all his friends for talking to the most misunderstood mobster in Alcrataz.

Overall this was a pretty decent book. It was a quick read and easy to understand for the most part. It was historically a little bit accurate and I admire the author for her dedication in researching Alcatraz. Although the characters are predominately fictional, Al Capone is a real person and Alcratz is a real place. I also admire the character Natalie (as I have an Autistic sibling) for her dependancy and journey up the heroic cycle. Her interest in buttons and temper tantrums ended up paying off towards the end of the story.

The first book won the Caldecott Honor Medal. I like the way the book ended on a positive note and I'd reccomend it to most teenagers.
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Mar 23, 2009

Laura rated it

Shelves: mt-bookpile-2009

Cute. Moose is only interested in baseball, keeping his sister Natalie from having a fit, and his crush on Piper, the Warden's daughter. Living on Alcatraz has it's pluses, definitely. Owing Al Capone a favor isn't one of them.

Because Moose is one of those polite, trying to please people kids, he ends up in more trouble than he should, but in the end it seems that Scarface kinda likes him. Or maybe he likes Natalie.

Nice sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts.

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Aug 18, 2011

Lena Hillbrand rated it

Recommends it for: young readers

Shelves: audiobooks

The sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts is even more exciting. The kids on 'the rock,' as they call Alcatraz Island, are up to more shenanigans, hiding more secrets than ever from their parents, playing baseball, spying on convicts, and of course, obsessing about Al Capone. There was more action in this book than the first one, more love story. I despise Piper, the love interest, so that takes the book down a notch for me. She's infuriating and everyone always forgives her and gives her everythin...more

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Aug 16, 2010

Kasha rated it

· review of another edition

I enjoyed listening to this audio book while I knitted or did dishes in the morning. I enjoyed the reader's interpretation too. He varied the voices just enough that I was able to follow along really well. Sometimes when I listen to books I forget to pay attention, so I only really have success when the reader is a little above average. There was a hint of a love story between two of the alcatraz inhabitants that was definitely entertaining, and I was really surprised by some of the hidden m...more

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Dec 04, 2009

Gwen the Librarian rated it

Shelves: kidlit, historical-fiction

I was hesitant to pick up this second volume about Moose and the kids on Alcatraz, but after hearing only good things from colleagues, I read it this week and really enjoyed it. Readers would benefit from reading the first volume, Al Capone Does My Shirts, first.

The book picks up pretty much right where the last left off. Natalie has been accepted into the special school for autistic kids and Moose thinks that Al Capone pulled the strings to get her in. When Moose receives a not...more

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Jul 06, 2009

Tasha rated it

Return to the world of Moose and his family and friends living on Alcatraz. Moose’s sister Natalie is heading out to her special school that she got into after Moose asked Al Capone to help. Now Moose finds a note in the pocket of his shirt after it has returned from the laundry. The note says, “Your turn.” Now Moose must decide whether to tell his parents what he did or to do exactly what Capone asks of him. And where would the fun be in telling your parents?

Choldenko’s Al Cap...more

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Sep 25, 2010

Kat rated it

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, childrens, historical-fiction, young-adult, read-in-2010

I really enjoyed Al Capone Does My Shirts, and I was anxious to read the sequel. Just like its predecessor, Al Capone Shines My Shoes moves at a fast pace and is a great piece of storytelling. The plot takes place in 1935 still, during summer vacation on Alcatraz. Moose's older sister Natalie is away at school, and he and his friends Piper, Jimmy, Annie and Theresa occupy their time with baseball, hanging out at the canteen and trying to think of ways to sneak a peek at Al Capone.

Moo...moreI really enjoyed Al Capone Does My Shirts, and I was anxious to read the sequel. Just like its predecessor, Al Capone Shines My Shoes moves at a fast pace and is a great piece of storytelling. The plot takes place in 1935 still, during summer vacation on Alcatraz. Moose's older sister Natalie is away at school, and he and his friends Piper, Jimmy, Annie and Theresa occupy their time with baseball, hanging out at the canteen and trying to think of ways to sneak a peek at Al Capone.

Moose Flanagan is a good kid who always tries to do the right thing. He doesn't like to disappoint his friends or hurt anyone's feelings. He's just an overal likable kid. It's no wonder several girls are "sweet on him" (I love that language they used back then). As much as Moose loves his sister Nat, he can't help but feel somewhat relieved and grateful that she's away at a special school. It means he has his parents all to himself. He'd felt almost neglected in the past because his mother focused so much of her energy and attention on Natalie, that it feels good to have her all to himself.

The narration of these books is spot on. You can tell Moose is a pretty smart kid. He's very observant of the people around him, and he's got a keen sense of how they're feeling. He narrates events with a touch of pre-teen humor, as his storytelling is sometimes interspersed with his thoughts of how pretty Piper is, how plain Annie is, how annoying 7-year-old Theresa can be, and what a horrible throwing arm Jimmy has.

This book has a lot more action and drama than the previous one. There are prison guards being falsely accused of misbehavior, babies in danger of dying, first kisses, cryptic notes left by prisoners, and even a few brushes with big Al himself. I'm not sure if young children should read this book. Perhaps it's more young adult than children's fiction. There were moments when even I was a bit creeped out. But then again, anything having to do with the criminals living on the maximum-security prison island is creepy.

Gennifer Choldenko managed to create a sequel that's just as intriguing as the first novel in the series. I came to really care about the characters in the Al Capone Does My Shirts, and they almost felt like family the second time around. I was close to tears on some parts, and other times I was laughing out loud. The book has a nice blend of humor and drama, mixed with crime fighting and tween angst.

I'm excited that Choldenko is at work on the third book in this series. I'll definitely be reading that as soon as it's released.

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Apr 09, 2010

Suzanne rated it

Shelves: spring-challenge-picks, best-books-of-2009, tweens

This book is a sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts. The main character, Moose, is a boy at the age where he begins to recognize girls. What makes his situation unique is that he lives on Alcatraz Island. The year is 1935 and Moose's father is a guard at the notorious prison. I learned that the island was home not only to the prisoners in lock-up, but also to civilians who lived in compounds and ran the prison facilities. The children of the prison warden and the guards are close friends and a...more

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Jan 31, 2012

Derek added it

Al Capone Shines My Shoes
Al Capone Shines My Shoes was written by Gennifer Choldenko. She published it in 2009 for the entire world to read. Dial used there magical book work and published it for her so they could both make a living of the book. I personal thought it was a great sequel to her last book Al Capone Does My Shirts, but just like every book I read I wanted and almost expected more after reading her first book.
So basically our main character Moose has grown up on Alcatraz I...moreAl Capone Shines My Shoes
Al Capone Shines My Shoes was written by Gennifer Choldenko. She published it in 2009 for the entire world to read. Dial used there magical book work and published it for her so they could both make a living of the book. I personal thought it was a great sequel to her last book Al Capone Does My Shirts, but just like every book I read I wanted and almost expected more after reading her first book.
So basically our main character Moose has grown up on Alcatraz Island because his father is a guard for the prison. His sister Natalie has autism so she is older than Moose but he has to take care of her because she acts a lot younger than him. He hadn’t had any problems at all for a long time until they can’t get his sister into this special school called Esther P Marinoff School in San Francisco. So moose decides to write Al Capone a letter to see if he can use his influences to get her into the school and leaves it in his dirty laundry for Al Capone to find. Later he gets a note in one of his freshly folded shirts that simply said “done”. Then just like magic Natalie is accepted into the Esther P Marinoff School which just rejected her not even two weeks before. But then just like any dealings with a con, Moose has to return the favor when he gets a note that says “your turns, then we’re square.” That’s when Moose finds out he has to get roses for Al’s Wife. His dad is put on probation for being reported drunk and Natalie comes home from the boarding school for a little while and Moose finds her with a con and a bar spreader. He gets Piper, the warden’s daughter, to let Moose’s dad of probation. Then the warden’s wife has a baby and the convicts try to escape and the baby goes missing. They later find Al Capone with the baby and he gives her back and everyone has a happy ending.
So basically Moose asks a favor of Al Capone. He does what he is asked but asks for some things in return from Moose. His sister gets into Esther P Marinoff School. His father is put on probation for being reported drunk. And Moose and Piper have spark of a relationship. The warden’s baby goes missing and Al Capone takes the baby and demonstrates he could have escaped. So this book was excellently written and I even think there is a sequel coming out soon.
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Jan 14, 2012

Jianne rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, library-books, part-of-a-series, young-adult

Al Capone Shines My Shoes is an interesting, enjoyable and light read.

Excerpt form the book

Nothing is the way it’s supposed to be when you live on an island with a billion birds, a ton of bird crap, a few dozen rifles, machine guns and automatics and 278 of America’s worst criminals—“the cream of the criminal crop” as one of our felons likes to say. The convicts on Alcatraz are rotten to the core, crazy in the head, and as slippery as eels in axle grease. And then there’s...more

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Feb 07, 2011

Puttopal rated it

I was worried that this sequel wouldn't live up to the wonderful "Al Capone Does My Shirts" because the premise sounded contrived. And with Natalie gone to the Esther P. Marinoff School, one of the main tensions would be gone. I was glad to be proven wrong! Choldenko again is pitch-perfect in her portrayal of family relationships-- the traditional kind as well as the family that is built from a community as tightly knit as the one on Alcatraz. She gives each one of the kids a distinct ...more

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Jul 07, 2011

Carolyn W rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, guy-book

In many ways, Moose Flanagan is a typical baseball-loving American boy from 1935. However, this boy also happens to live on Alcatraz… and he owes infamous inmate Al Capone a favor! In the previous book in this series, Al Capone Does My Shirts (which does not have to be read prior to this one), Al Capone gets Moose’s mentally imbalanced sister Natalie admitted to a special private school. Now, Al Capone wants something from Moose. Although the premise is exciting, the story itself is fairly b...more

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Jan 21, 2010

Jill rated it

Recommends it for: people who liked Al Capone Does My Shirts, or people who like historical fiction.

It was tough to choose between 3 and 4 stars for this book, because I really did enjoy it! But it wasn't absolutely wonderful, so I will give it 3 stars. Enjoyable and fun to read.

This is the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, which I read last summer I think. I feel that this book was quite better than the first one. Both revolve around a family who lives on Alcatraz because the father of the family has a job as a prison guard. It's set in the mid-1930s, which I like a lot. The dau...more

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Dec 01, 2011

Kay Mcgriff rated it

Moose Flanagan is back, and now he owes Al Capone. What will he do when Capone wants to collect? Even though Capone is imprisoned in Alcatraz, the most secure prison in America, he can still threaten Moose and his family.

Moose’s story started in Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, where Capone helps Moose’s sister get in a special school. In Al Capone Shines My Shoes, Moose and his friends are trying to figure out how to help America’s most favorite criminal while preve...more

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May 06, 2011

Mari Anne rated it

In this follow up to "Al Capone Does My Shirts" Choldenko continues her fictional story of the kids who lived on Alcatraz in 1935. I loved the first one of these middle grade novels. It was historical and interesting and very different from everything out there. This one however felt a little forced. The kids were the same, the setting was the same but Choldenko ramped up the tension among the kids by throwing in some supposed love triangles. Not sure how the kids will like this s...more

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Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Al Capone at Alcatraz #2)

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