Growing Up Alcatraz Style: Al Capone Does My Shirts

While reading Al Capone Does My Shirts, I found myself placing the story in modern times.  Even though I clearly understood that this story was set in the 1930s, something in my mind’s eye kept the story in modern times.  There are certain passages in the story remind me that the year is 1935.  When Moose says, “I am back in the bathroom mixing the tooth powder and water in the palm of my hand” (p. 83), I realize that this is how people brushed their teeth in 1935 or when he asks “They darn socks too?” (p. 34) I was reminded once again that people darned their socks in the early 20^th century.  Why did I want Moose’s story to be set in the present?  Perhaps it is because I have no background of life in San Francisco or Alcatraz during the 1930s.   

Choldenko creates such a realistic plot that is easy to relate the events and characters to the present.  Through Moose’s narration, we find young adolescents who find ways to keep themselves entertained, stand up to the one who leads the group, face conflicts with both their peers and parents, and who are forced to own up to the consequences of their schemes. These are all issues that young adolescents face today. 

The family struggles that ensue in the Flanagan household are also typical.  There are enormous amounts of tension as Moose and his mother are continually at conflicting points of view concerning Natalie.  Moose shows maturity beyond his years as he reveals the depth of love he feels for his sister.  There are often times when Moose slips into more of a parenting role than his own mother. “From the doorway, I see Nat’s soft purple blanket in a tangled heap.  Why didn’t Mom pack it? I feel like marching into my parents’ room and shaking my mom. How could you send her to that place without her blanket?” (p. 31).  Moose’s concern for Natalie’s happiness and well-being is obvious based on his thoughts here.

The difficulties of growing up with a sister who has special needs are addressed in appropriate manners throughout the novel.  Even though the reader does not find out that Natalie has autism until after reading the author’s note, the reader will naturally assume that Natalie has a disability.  Moose’s way of dealing with Natalie is true to most adolescents.  While he loves his sister, there are plenty of moments when he becomes angry with her and says things that he does not mean.  Ultimately it is his love for Natalie that gives him the courage to ask both the Warden and Al Capone for help.

There would be many benefits to using a novel such as this in the classroom.  First, it is a great mentor text for the realistic fiction genre.  Also, the issues that the novel raises are prevalent to the issues that students face today.  The novel also centers on the treatment of someone who has a disability.   I can foresee wonderful discussions, thought-provoking writing responses, and authentic learning taking place by teaching this novel in the middle school classroom.  It could also be used in the social studies classroom.  The author tried remain as historically accurate as possible throughout the novel.  There could be opportunities to further study this time period, the life of notorious criminals, or understand the workings of Alcatraz prison.  Before reading Al Capone Does My Shirts, I would make sure to give the students some background knowledge of San Francisco and Alcatraz during the 1930s.

This is a book that I will definitely be keeping for future use.  I would also highly recommend it to both teachers and young adult readers.              

Choldenko, G. (2004). Al Capone does my shirts. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

A Bewildering Tale: Thoughts on The Book Thief

I was looking forward to reading The Book Thief as soon as I received it in the mail.  The title alone was enough to pique my interest because I am an avid reader and lover of books.  I had never heard of The Book Thief before, and I had no knowledge of the book’s content.  Reading through the prologue, I found the idea of Death narrating the book to be a surprise.  As an adult reader, I can process this information and understand the abstract and metaphorical language that “Death” uses throughout the book, but I find it hard to imagine middle school students understanding and relating to this book.

Personally, I did not enjoy reading The Book Thief.  I did not like the switching back and forth between the story of Liesel and Max.  I would have to re-read certain chapters to make sure that I understood the new information.  It is difficult to enjoy reading the book when you must follow the storyline closely and remember different stories at the same time.  The intermixing of certain German words (without the English translations) stopped the flow of reading.  I had to read the words and the sentence that they were used in several times to understand the meaning.  The author’s word choice and syntax made this book a bit of a challenge to read.   There were also points in the text that Death would jump into the future, give us details about those events, and continue the story in the present.  I found these tense changes to be disturbing and taunting.  When I read a book, I want to know the events as they happen.  Do not give me surprises or knowledge of events before they happen.  This discourages me from continuing the book. 

There are heavy themes presented throughout the book.  Death, abandonment, foster family relationships, parent-child relationships, stealing/thievery, Communism, persecution, war, and other such topics are found though the entire book.  These themes paint a grim, dark atmosphere as the reader journeys with the events of the characters.  Just as reality dictates, there must be some positive events along with the negative events in our lives.  If life were composed of nothing but dark, negative times, it would be nearly impossible for humans to survive.  It takes the positive events of life to give us a sense of hope and encouragement to continue our journey forward. 

The lighter, more positive themes are the use of words (learning to read), friendship, generosity, courage, and love.  Liesel shows the reader her passion of learning to read, her friendships with Rudy and Max, and her growing courage in the presence of danger.  We, as readers, are able to view the friendship, courage, generosity, and love of Hans Hubermann as he keeps the promise made to a war-time friend who saved his life by extending himself to that son, Max Vandenberg.      

The Book Thief could be a great book to use when studying about World War II.  I could see it used in a high school setting more so than in a middle school setting.  Perhaps an advanced eighth grade literature class could use this book, but students in eighth grade social studies do not study World War II.  It would not be possible to use The Book Thief as a cross curricular study or as a reading across the curriculum book.   

While I found it difficult to relate to death being the narrator, I found that Liesel Meminger is a realistic character with whom the reader can relate.  I found myself sympathizing with Liesel through her many struggles and hardships.  I cheered her on as she found friendship in Rudy Steiner, read through the books in the mayor’s library, and was brave enough to face her nightmares alone.  I desperately wanted to stop her from stealing and taking part in the thievery ring of Arthur Berg.  Hans Hubermann is also a character who is relatable.  He reveals a tender, nurturing side toward Liesel that his wife, Rosa Hubermann, lacks.  Hans shows bravery and generosity as he tries to remain true to his own personal, political beliefs while he protects Max. 

The Book Thief turned out to be quite different than I originally expected.  Even though I did not particularly enjoy it, I would recommend it to others who wanted to know more about this time in history or to those who enjoy studying the Holocaust and/or World War II. 

Zusak, M. (2005). The book thief. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

The Darkness is Broken by the Light: Musings on The City of Ember and The People of Sparks

I remember sitting in class and hearing about The City of Ember for the first time.  How could I like a book that was in the science fiction category?  I do NOT like science fiction!  Even when my instructor told the class how much he loved the book, still I was not convinced.  Not only was there one book, but I soon learned that there was a sequel as well.  Reading two science fiction books sounded like pure torture to me.  Perhaps a bit skeptically, I went ahead and purchased the books for myself.  In my mind, I was thinking that these may be good books to own for the boys in my future classroom.  I was convinced that these would not be books for me.

Ashamedly, I must admit that once I opened The City of Ember, I did not put it down until I had read the entire book.  I read the second book, The People of Sparks, the next day and was left longing to know more.  Since then, I have checked out the third and fourth book from the local library, and I finished the third book yesterday.  This is definitely one of my new favorite series.

Not only is the plot engaging and suspenseful, but the characters come to life as you read the books.  DuPrau allows the reader to enter in the world of her characters and connect with them on their many adventures and journeys.  I found myself trying to figure out the secret instructions along with Lina, I was working with Doon down in the Pipe Works, and I was riding in the boat with them as they escaped from Ember.  DuPrau’s descriptive writing allows the reader to enter into this world. 

The City of Ember was more than just a fascinating read.  It was a story that touches upon realistic, every-day issues such as children growing up without parents, death of a family member, friendships, relationships, and fighting for what you believe.  Lina and Doon face many issues that today’s adolescents also face.  Lina and Doon both triumph despite the obstacles that stood in their way.  They solved the mysterious instructions, they escaped the guards, and they overcame the river and darkness to find their freedom. 

The People of Sparks continues the story of Lina and Doon, but also introduces the ever-growing struggle to live in a world where we must share and find ways to live peacefully with our neighbors.  It appears that the people of Ember had more comforts and technology underground than the people who live aboveground.  The people of Ember and the people of Sparks are constantly arguing, and just when it seems that all hope for living in unity is lost, Lina steps up to help the people of both towns connect.  This is a story for all mankind to show that fighting is not the answer to problems.  Fighting only leads to more trouble and difficulties.   No matter how grim and desolate a situation may appear there is always hope if people are willing to work together and support each other.  As I read through the last chapters of the book, I found myself saddened when the people of Ember were prepared to fight the people of Sparks, I cheered on Lina as she stepped up to help to extinguish the fire, and I was relieved when the people of both towns agreed to build a life together. 

There is a vast amount of lessons that can be taught and learned through reading these books.  Teachers can use the books to teach about descriptive writing, point of view, character development, setting, and creating a captivating plot.  Students can not only learn about these things, but they can also learn many life lessons in these books.  The importance of friendship, family, and hard work are just a few examples of life lessons presented in DuPrau’s books. 

I am currently using The City of Ember as one of the American Literature novels for one of the homeschool students that I teach.  This particular student does not like reading and is hard to persuade to consider reading books that she is not familiar with.  After I gave her an exciting “book trailer”, she was begging me to let her read The City of Ember.  She was so intrigued by the book, that she bought the movie.  She later told me that she is enjoying reading the book much more than watching the movie.  These are words that made me proud to be her teacher.  I found the following website to be particularly helpful in lesson planning for The City of Ember: http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading52/city_of_ember.htm  There are questions, activities, and writing lessons that complement the book nicely.   

DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of ember. New York, NY: Yearling.

DuPrau, J. (2004). The people of sparks. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books. 

Miller, G. (2008, June 26). The city of ember. Retrieved from             

          http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading52/city_of_ember.htm

The Digital World is Here to Stay: A Response to Growing Up Online and Digital Nation

Growing Up Online shared the story that we have all heard over and over again; the Internet is a scary place where predators lurk with harmful intentions.  For me, the difference in hearing the message this time was that I was able to see actual faces with actual stories.  Through the accounts shared in this documentary, I was able to see how the Internet, especially social media sites, can be used to cause harm.  One must take caution when using the Internet for social purposes.  As the students in the documentary stated, they have grown up with the Internet and know how to protect themselves.  While students may think that they know how to protect themselves, it is in the best interest of the parents to monitor their child(ren)'s Internet activity.  I am reminded of the story of Jessica (Autumn).  While she was finding a way to express herself in what she thought was a safe, artistic manner, there may be others viewing her website and pictures with intentions to harm her.

Yes, the Internet is like the lifeline for this generation; it is how they remain connected to the world and communicate, but everyone should practice Internet safety and protect children from any harmful websites or situations online.

Digital Nation reveals just how much of our lives are consumed by the digital world.  We truly are a world that is constantly connected online.  Whether it is checking emails, chatting with friends, socialized on a media site, or researching new information, a large portion of our time is spent online.  This is especially true for the young people of today.  Rachel Dretzin commented in the video that it really hit her one night.  Her husband and son were in the next room on their laptops, and her two youngest children were playing a game on an iPhone.  She said it was like they were in the same house but in different worlds at the same time.  This is reality for many people.

I have watched teenagers sitting in the same room having conversations by texting.  Life now is so wrapped up in the digital world that it would difficult to imagine life without all of the technology.  Big companies like IBM are now holding their meetings through a virtual website called Second Life.  In Second Life, you create an avatar (a person that represents you), and you live in that virtual world as your avatar.  People from all over the world are using Second Life in order hold meetings in a virtual space with their created avatars.  IBM said that it is saving them thousands of dollars by not having to fly people to meetings.

It is true that this generation of students have not known at life outside of the digital world.  It is this generation of students that we will be teaching.  It is important for us to know how to keep them engaged as active learners when there is so much competing for their attention.

Digital Nation gave me much to ponder as I continue the journey to become a middle school teacher.


Dretzin, R. (Producer) (2010). Digital nation [Web]. Retrieved from 
          http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/view/


Dretzin, R. (Producer) (2008). Growing up online [Web]. Retrieved from
          http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/