As a teacher, I can get away with reading Young Adult books and even children's books without being a loser. I LOVE children's literature. I try to balance adult and children's lit as I read, but I keep finding myself pulled toward children's lit.
This book was a fun, quick read. Set on Alcatraz, this novel brings in the history of the island, in an amusing and accessible way to readers. The main character is a 13 year old boy named "Moose." He has a sister who is "different." We find out that she has autism. During his time, autism had not been recognized as a disease, so sufferers of autism were subjected to all sorts of torturous remedies. Moose and his sister, Natalie, are finding a way to cope with being different from the other children on Alcatraz. The novel is filled with several hair-brained schemes aimed at getting in contact with Al Capone. Leave it to Moose to finally figure out how to do it.
I can't say more without spoiling the book. If historical fiction is a genre you enjoy, and you want a fast, easy read, go for this book. You'll find yourself giggling at times as well as feeling sorry for the character's bad situation.
