"Choldenko’s novel is a marvel. Writing with great tenderness and freshness and style, she unfolds a taut drama of two kids struggling to come of age against an extraordinary background -- Alcatraz Island. A major achievement. Applause!"

—Sid Fleischman, author of The Whipping Boy, Newbery winner>

". . . Gennifer Choldenko offers a dazzling piece of work in this heartwarming, funny and original story of a boy, his autistic older sister and their adventures on Alcatraz after their father is hired as an electrician and guard in 1935 . . . Choldenko creates a memorable portrait of an autistic girl and an insightful look at the upset in family dynamics caused by a sibling's disability. Choldenko worked similar storytelling magic in her previous novel, Notes From a Liar and Her Dog."

—Buffalo News

"The pages of this coming-of-age novel are sprinkled with so many gems that's it's impossible to pick one."

—Minneapolis Star Tribune

Best New Books for Young Adults: "Author Choldenko has given breath to the freshest voice since Jack Gantos’s Joey Pigza, in the most inventive setting since, well, ever. Breezy on the surface, with a solid gold center, Al Capone Does My Shirts is the perfect novel for a young guy or moll who digs books by Paula Danziger, Gordon Korman or Louis Sachar."

—Time Out New York Kids

"Choldenko has crafted a tender, engaging book that captures both the imagination and the heart."

—San Jose Mercury News