Al Capone Shines My Shoes [Hardcover]

Gennifer Choldenko (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Al Capone

Moose and the cons are about to get a lot closer in this much-anticipated sequel.

It?s 1935. Moose Flanagan lives on Alcatraz with his family, the other families of the guards, and a few hundred no-name hit men, con men, mad dog murderers and a handful of bank robbers too. And one of those cons has just done him a big favor.

You see, Moose has never met Al Capone, but a few weeks ago Moose wrote a letter to him asking him to use his influence to get his sister, Natalie, into a school she desperately needs in San Francisco. After Natalie got accepted, a note appeared in Moose?s freshly laundered shirt that said: Done.

As this book begins, Moose discovers a new note. This one says: Your turn. Is it really from Capone? What does it mean? Moose can?t risk anything that might get his dad fired. But how can he ignore Al Capone?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6–8—Readers who enjoyed Al Capone Does My Shirts (Putnam, 2004) will find this lively novel a worthy sequel. Most of the large cast has returned and, as in the previous book, the 1935 Alcatraz Island setting is well realized through glimpses of its infamous prison, inmates, and island life. The narrator is Moose Flanagan, whose father works as a prison guard. The 12-year-old baseball-loving boy is both naive and wise beyond his years. He loves Natalie, his developmentally disabled older sister, despite her unpredictable behavior; when she has good days, he says, "it feels as if the sun has come out after sixty straight days of rain." Along with the warm family drama, there's the intrigue that comes of living among notorious prison inmates on a tiny island. They are a source of free labor, and, once again, Moose finds terse messages in his laundry. Apparently inmate #85, aka Al Capone, engineered Natalie's acceptance into a special school at the boy's request, and now Moose receives a note saying, "Your turn." How he responds to this menacing correspondence makes for an involving yarn, and Choldenko layers her narrative with comical and poignant plot twists. At times, her canvas feels crowded with less-involving characters and subplots, but her sprightly writing ensures that this novel never loses its grip on readers' imaginations. This is superlative historical fiction, but it will be most appreciated by those familiar with the first book.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA END

Review

"Choldenko hits a grand slam...Effortless period dialogue, fully developed secondary characters and a perfectly paced plot combine to create a solid-gold sequel that will not disappoint." --Kirkus, starred review

"Choldenko delivers a crowd-pleasing sequel to her Newbery Honor-winning Al Capone Does My Shirts." --Horn Book

"[A]n involving yarn...Choldenko layers her narrative with comical and poignant plot twists...superlative historical fiction." --School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dial (September 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803734603
• ISBN-13: 978-0803734609
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gennifer Choldenko received a B.A. from Brandeis University, graduating cum laude with honors, and a B.F.A. in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Gennifer's first picture book is titled Moonstruck: The True Story of the Cow Who Jumped Over the Moon. Reviewers called Moonstruck "hilarious" (School Library Journal), "hysterical, irreverent" (National Parenting Center), and "a giggle from beginning to end" (Publishers Weekly). Gennifer was the youngest in a family of four kids, where her nickname was "Snot-Nose." Her quirky sense of humor made its debut at the dinner table when Gennifer was a very little kid. After that, anything strange and funny became known as a Gennifer Joke.Currently, she lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and their two children. When she is not writing, she likes to draw animals at the zoo, especially crocodiles and turtles because they lie perfectly still. Notes From a Liar and Her Dog is her first novel for children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What? No Reviews Yet? Incredible, September 12, 2009

By 

Portianay "portianay" (KY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Hardcover)

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 fascinating as it was on her first go-round, and the air of mystery is engendered not only by our knowledge, as we read, that the nefarious Al Capone is lurking, albeit behind bars; the children themselves make even more mystery, suspense, and adventure, as well as a lot of humorous asides!

The dialogue is so realistic, and feels genuine--whether it is the kids, talking to each other, or the parents to the kids, or ESPECIALLY, a guard to that famous prisoner!

Noteworthy: the continuation of our hero's sister's own special story. This is handled so well, yet so delicately, and is very poignant. Her relationship to each character with whom she comes into contact is dealt with masterfully.

I love this book. I did not put it down, until I finished it. I hope it sells a billion copies! It should be recommended to middle and upper elementary readers and should be recommended with gusto!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Suspenseful and Genuinely Funny Novel, October 5, 2009

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Hardcover)

Twelve year-old Moose Flanagan has an unusual address: Alcatraz Island. He and his family live on the island off the San Francisco coast back in 1935 when it was still home not only to "278 of America's worst criminals" but also to the prison guards and their families. Living and working so closely with the other civilian families on Alcatraz offers opportunity for some tight-knit relationships but also for plenty of misunderstandings, hurt feelings and grudges.

No one knows these mixed emotions better than Moose. He's one of the most well-meaning kids you'd ever meet, but he's quickly finding out that you just can't please everybody all the time. His best friend, Jimmy, has started to suspect that Moose's praise of his less-than-stellar baseball skills might not be completely genuine. Annie (who may want to be more than just Moose's friend) is sulking because she has begun to suspect that Moose's friendship might be based solely on her outstanding pitching arm. And Moose himself is starting to believe that introducing his best mainland friend, Scout, to the warden's daughter, Piper, might have sabotaged his own chances at romance with the cute but increasingly moody girl.

Moose is also experiencing conflicting feelings now that, thanks to the influence of convicted mobster Al Capone, a prisoner on Alcatraz, his older sister Natalie has been admitted to a special school for kids with autism. He misses his sister, sure, but he also welcomes the freedom of not having to watch or worry about her all the time. And he can now see firsthand how much freer his mother is when she's not saddled with her own worries about Natalie. But when Al Capone calls in a favor from Moose in return for Natalie's placement at the school, Moose's life is about to go from complicated to downright dangerous as he finds himself at the center of an elaborate escape plot. It's no wonder why he's broken out in hives! Is Al Capone a kind, well-meaning inmate or a dangerous schemer? Moose is discovering that with convicts, as with friendships, things are not always as simple as they seem.

Gennifer Choldenko's award-winning 2004 novel, AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS, shed light on a fascinating chapter in American history. In this sequel, she continues to explore the intriguing facets of civilian life at America's most infamous prison while bringing new depth to the characters of Moose, his family and his friends. Much of the book's appeal stems from the colorful depictions of the gangsters, thieves and other assorted criminal types who live at Alcatraz and serve as jacks-of-all-trades for the families who reside there, and much of the suspense arises from the tension between these men's generally harmless demeanors and their genuinely dangerous backgrounds. But AL CAPONE SHINES MY SHOES gains added depth by focusing on moral issues: Is it possible to do the right thing by everyone all the time? Can a person be simultaneously a criminal mastermind and a tenderhearted soul? Is there such a thing as being kind to a fault?

Choldenko explores these ideas and others, all within the context of a suspenseful and genuinely funny novel, one that is sure to garner just as many fans as its predecessor.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My students LOVE this book! Even more than the first one!, May 7, 2010

By 

fake name (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Hardcover)

My 7th grade students love this book! We first read Al Capone Does My Shirts and my students, who are reluctant readers, were engaged and completely invested in this book. Which is a huge feat for me to find a book that all my students enjoy and want to read. After the first Al Capone... book we immediately started reading the sequel, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, at the students request.

As much as they loved the first book, they enjoy this book even more! It has a new villain in Darby Trixle, Natalie is at Ester P. Marinoff, and Moose actually has contact with Al Capone! They don't want to stop reading!

As a teacher, I like any book that engages students but I find myself enjoying this book with the students. Even after the third time I've read it each day.

While it is set in 1935, the language and situation the children on the island go through are relatable to today's students. Gennifer Choldenko touches on a lot of relevant issues such as autism, friendship, right/wrong, and forgiveness. Choldenko uses a lot of figurative language, especially similes that make the students (and myself) laugh out loud.

This is a fun book and a great read for all students. Especially if you have a reluctant or non-reader. I highly recommend it!