1
of
1
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Series: Tales from Alcatraz
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3600
Unit price
/
Unavailable
International Supplier
This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Al Capone Does My Shirts
$3600
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This engaging and atmospheric story is ideal for children and young teens interested in historical settings, mysteries, and character-driven narratives. It will appeal especially to readers who enjoy adventurous and heartwarming tales with a blend of humour and thought-provoking themes.
Latest News
The Book Hero Team's September Reads
September was an especially busy month for the Book Hero team as we did the...
Come Celebrate New Zealand Bookshop Day with Us!
Next Saturday, New Zealand celebrates Bookshop Day - a day to celebrate the special place...
Rating All Our Julia Donaldson Picture Books
With Gruffalo Granny coming out recently I couldn't not do a post celebrating the collection...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (29th September)
From celebrity memoirs to a brand new follow up to The Whale Rider, here is...
New: Out of Print Book Merchandise has arrived!
We are so excited to share that we now have a selection in-stock of the...
See moreSet in 1935, when guards actually lived on Alcatraz Island with their families, Choldenko's second novel brings humor to the complexities of family dynamics.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The Newbery Honor Book and New York Times Bestseller that is historical fiction with a hint of mystery about living at Alcatraz not as a prisoner, but as a kid meeting some of the most famous criminals in our history. Al Capone Does My Shirts has become an instant classic for all kids to read!
Today I moved to Alcatraz, a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water. I'm not the only kid who lives here. There are twenty-three other kids who live on the island because their dads work as guards or cooks or doctors or electricians for the prison, like my dad does. And then there are a ton of murderers, rapists, hit men, con men, stickup men, embezzlers, connivers, burglars, kidnappers and maybe even an innocent man or two, though I doubt it. The convicts we have are the kind other prisons don't want. I never knew prisons could be picky, but I guess they can. You get to Alcatraz by being the worst of the worst. Unless you're me. I came here because my mother said I had to.
A Newbery Honor Book
A New York Times Bestseller
A People magazine "Best kid's Book"
An ALA Book for Young Adults
An ALA Notable Book
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Krikus Reviews Editor's Choice
A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book
A New York Public Library "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing" Selection
A New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age
*"Choldenko's pacing is exquisite. . . . [A] great read." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*"Exceptionally atmospheric, fast-paced and memorable!" —Publishers Weekly, starred review
*"The story, told with humour and skill, will fascinate readers." —School Library Journal, starred review
"Al is the perfect novel for a young guy or moll who digs books by Gordon Korman, or Louis Sachar." —Time Out New York for Kids
"Funny situations and plot twists abound!" —People magazine
"Heartstopping in some places, heartrending in others, and most of all, it is heartwarming." —San Francisco Chronicle
Series: Tales from Alcatraz
View all-
Al Capone Does My Shirts
The Newbery Honor Book and New York Times Bestseller that is historical fiction with a hint of mystery about living at Alcatraz not as a prisoner, but as a kid meeting some of the most famous criminals in our history. Al Capone Does My Shirts has become an instant classic for all kids to read! Today I moved to Alcatraz,...Paperback$3600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780142403709
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 20 April 2006
Country: United States
Imprint: Penguin USA
Audience: Children
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 15.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 204g
Pages: 288
About the Author
Gennifer Choldenko is the New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor Award-winning author of ten children's books, including Notes From a Liar and Her Dog, If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period, No Passengers Beyond this Point, Al Capone Does My Shirts, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, and Al Capone Does My Homework. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.
Also by Gennifer Choldenko
View all-
Mouse and His Dog
From beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, Mouse and His Dog is an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure. Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. Buster is a big-hearted dog who couldn't attract more trouble if he tried. Stewie is a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said...Paperback$1999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Dogtown
From beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, Dogtown is an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure. Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since his owners unwittingly left him with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town. Metal Head is a robot...Paperback$1999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Dogtown
The New York Times bestseller, Indie bestseller, and Amazon Best Children's Book from beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko and with illustrations by Wallace West, Dogtown is at once an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure, sure to find a forever home in readers' hearts. Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose...Paperback$3400Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
More from Children's Books
View all-
New ReleaseGruffalo Granny
The brand new Gruffalo picture book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The Gruffalo said to his daughter one day, "Your Gruffalo Granny is coming to stay." Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years, and meet Gruffalo Granny as she visits the Gruffalo family. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure...Hardback$2499Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseWahine
From a majestic mermaid to a clay woman, the creator of glaciers to the mother of gardening, discover powerful wahine and how their stories shaped the world around us. Wahine introduces readers to twelve purakau of brave, bold, and inspiring women of Aotearoa. A beautifully illustrated collection that will delight the whole whanau, from award-winning illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White....Hardback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Sweet As Looky Book
Can you find all the chocolate fish? Is it possible for kiwi to fly? Can you spot the difference? See Aotearoa New Zealand through the eyes of award-winning artist Donovan Bixley in The Sweet As Looky Book. Use your finest skills to seek out pirates in the Bay of Islands and birds in Rakiura Stewart Island. Get in a car...Hardback$2299Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Day of the Dinosaur Disaster
Angry anacondas, blizzarding blobs, carnivorous cactuses ... what kind of twisted curse will Glam-Evil think up this time?!Only it's not just Glam-Evil's curse the gang needs to worry about; they've got a few other problems, too. Swooping Pteranodons, a hungry T-Rex, a missing mother, and ... is that ... an ASTEROID?!Join MILES AND JONES as they face their biggest challenge...Paperback$1400Elsewhere:$1499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Neverfear
A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...Paperback$1999Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseMari the Unwonderful Witch
A charming, cosy and thought-provoking tale about a wonderfully unconventional little witch, by bestselling author of BUTTER, Asako Yuzuki. Perfect for fans of WICKED, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, and THE HATMAKERS series by Tamzin Merchant - and anyone who likes an enchanting adventure with just a hint of mischief. Mari the Unwonderful Witch introduces us to Mari, an eleven-year-old witch who...Paperback$1999Elsewhere:$2400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseAnimalia 40th Anniversary Edition
A beautiful, foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graeme Base's classic and bestselling Australian picture book, Animalia. Embark on a fantastical alphabetic adventure where each turn of the page unveils a rich tapestry of intricate illustrations tied to a unique letter of the alphabet. More than 5 million copies sold worldwide Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA)...Hardback$2999Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Comeback Kid
Charlie Boy might be just an ordinary kid, but he's about to get into some EXTRA-ordinary trouble... Get ready for this funny, fast-paced, friendship adventure with lots of kick. Meet Charlie Boy: skinny, small, looks like a strand of spaghetti. He and his best friend, Rocky the Lower Hutt Chief, are good at getting into trouble together. But when Charlie...Paperback$1799Elsewhere:$1999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseMillie from Milford
Based on the true story of Ruth Shaw and her husband Lance looking after a baby seal that had been shot between the eyes. Millie from Milford lives in Milford Sound, the number one tourist destination in Aotearoa New Zealand. After Millie was checked by a vet, she was taken to Ruth and Lance's home to be looked after until...Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New Release
The Case of the Tall Stranger: Violet and the Velvets 4
But disaster strikes when guitarist Jack breaks his wrist and can no longer play. On top of that, all their hard work fundraising has fallen short! When help comes from unexpected channels, the Velvets make it to the Big Apple just in time to compete against the best kid bands in the whole world, including their new rivals the Blazer...Paperback$1600Elsewhere:$1899Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleasePocket Observology
Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseMinecraft Annual 2027
The official Minecraft Annual 2027, full of updates, builds, activities, and more! Discover all there is to know about the past year of Minecraft in this exciting annual. Stuffed to the brim with updates, activities, step-by-step builds, and tips and tricks for the game, this book is a must-have for any minecrafter. This year’s annual includes: Mob guides on happy...Hardback$1999Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Children's Books lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listChildren's Books
Lizzy's Favourite Kiwi Pukapuka!
Here a huge bunch of incredible books for Kiwi kids of all ages, by amazing Kiwi authors! Including picture books and chapter...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listChildren's Books
Books for Helping Kids with Emotions!
Books are a great way to help children learn about emotions - giving them the language to name and recognize how they...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listChildren's Books
Chapter Books for the Classroom
Looking for some fresh inspiration when it comes to reading to your class? Lizzy has you covered with her chapter book recommendations!View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listChildren's Books
Travel Books for Tamariki
Going on a trip with your children? There are some amazing pukapuka (books) that are perfect for young travelers! Check out this...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listChildren's Books
Lizzy's Favourite Picture Books
A collection of my favourite picture books to read aloud with my child and keep on the bookshelf as a reminder of...View the list
