People Magazine's Spring Best Kids Books: "In this novel set in 1935, 12-year-old Moose Flanagan has just moved to Alcatraz, where his father is a guard and the titular criminal an inmate. Funny situations and plot twists abound."

—People Magazine

"Extraordinary setting: Alcatraz Island, 1935 . . . exuberant storytelling . . . what stays in the mind is the teeming mini-society of the island, where guards' families really did live and where a kid really might have encountered Al Capone, an inmate at Alcatraz from 1934 to 1939."

—Washington Post

"With its unique setting and well-developed characters, this warm, engaging coming-of-age story has plenty of appeal, and Choldenko offers some fascinating historical background on Alcatraz Island in an after word."

—Booklist

"From an unlikely premise, the author has written a story that is far-fetched, skirts the edges of implausibility, and proceeds to be both funny and touching. Moose is a grand protagonist."

—Silver Medal Honor, Parents' Choice Foundation

"Johnny Heller does a masterful job conveying both Moose’s anger towards and concern for Natalie. His timing is perfect, he voices all the characters with great versatility, and he makes Moose come to life. This is a fascinating book superbly narrated.”

—Audio of the Week, School Library Journal

© 2005- Gennifer Choldenko. All rights reserved. If you would like to reuse or reprint anything on this website, please ask the author's permission.