(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sarah Watts. Emily Crane (Book Scavenger; The Unbreakable Code) is feeling the pressure of her outsized reputation as a puzzle-solver at publisher Garrison Griswold's elaborate mystery game night on Alcatraz Island. Then an actual mystery involving a reclusive author arises. Readers can work the puzzles alongside Emily and friends in this cheery celebration of San Francisco landmarks, ciphers and codes, and close friends working as a team.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 When his sister's attempt to secure a spot for him on the varsity baseball team backfires, Moose takes the blame. Meanwhile, a prison strike jeopardizes the warden's leadership. As both plot strands work toward their resolutions, Moose realizes that family is more important than baseball. This fourth Tale from Alcatraz (Al Capone Does My Shirts etc.) continues to effectively develop both the vivid historical setting and the tightly woven Alcatraz community.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) 4-6 Encounter series. Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin escaped from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in 1962. A riveting narrative discusses the physical evidence and interviews with cellmates that helped authorities determine how the three breached the prison walls but not whether they survived; Braun includes numerous theories regarding the real-life unsolved mystery. Critical thinking questions and photographs are appended. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Hidden Heroes series. Well-paced chapters with archival photos examine Native American activists' first attempt to invade Alcatraz in 1964, the history of their struggles with white settlers and the government, and the seeds of activism in the Native American community. Later chapters cover the nearly two-year-long occupation of Alcatraz beginning in 1969 and the protest's ongoing impact. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 You Choose: Haunted Places series. On guided tours of the famous prison (Alcatraz) and grand steamship (Queen Mary), readers are given a choice of numerous scenarios and endings which supposedly portray the ghostly haunting of each. The Choose Your Own Adventure–style speculative narratives offer as many as forty-two entertaining choices and fifteen endings accompanied by archival photographs. An epilogue provides limited historical background. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following You Choose: Haunted Places titles: Alcatraz and The Queen Mary.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 1-3 Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures series. Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan. Written by Josh Greenhut. In installments eleven and twelve, Stanley continues to travel around the world saving the day. The two-dimensional hero catches a thief at the Louvre by posing as a painting and he helps a daredevil friend escape from Alcatraz in California. The slim standalone plot lines are laid out in short action-packed chapters that incorporate some general cultural markers. Cartoonish illustrations appear throughout. Review covers these Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures titles: Escape to California and Framed in France.

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(2) 4-6 It's 1936: Moose Flanagan (Al Capone Does My Shirts) is now thirteen, and his father has been promoted to associate warden of Alcatraz. When Moose dozes off while babysitting and wakes to discover that the family apartment is on fire, blame settles on his autistic sister, Natalie. But Moose suspects arson. Choldenko's novel is a multifaceted mix of history, mystery, intrigue, and humor.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2013

(4) 4-6 HorrorScapes series. Bold headings and melodramatic narratives characterize this high-interest series. The use of period images is effective, but many of the illustrations are cheesy reenactment photographs. A "Then and Now" comparison chart is an engaging feature of each title. While creepy details (e.g., supernatural-looking cover art, skeleton ornamentation on sidebars) may draw readers in, the sensationalism is cumulatively a bit much. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these HorrorScapes titles: Ghostly Alcatraz Island, Voodoo in New Orleans, and Witchcraft in Salem.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Moose (Al Capone Does My Shirts) negotiates friendships, crushes, and grudges among his friends at school and on Alcatraz Island, where he lives. When drama with the kids gives way to intrigue among the cons, it's up to the children to foil a dangerous escape plan. The historical details of daily life on Alcatraz in 1935 remain as interesting as ever.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(4) YA In this third Nicholas Flamel book, Paris is in ruins, and mustache-twirling Dee is still hunting Nicholas and twins Sophie and Josh. To fulfill the prophecy, Flamel must shuttle the twins to insane Gilgamesh for water-magic training. Though point of view continues to be confusing, readers will be rewarded by the story's complex plot, including thrilling escapes and ancient legends.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) 4-6 Each chapter of Murphy's handsome book about the children who have called Alcatraz home covers one period in the island's history, from military outpost to prison to Native American encampment. The information is intriguing and child-centered, and the photographs and book design are excellent, but the writing is uneven and jumps abruptly from one subject to another. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 When his father gets a job as an electrician at Alcatraz, Moose's family moves to the famous prison island. Against this vividly evoked setting, Moose butts heads with the warden's scheming daughter and gets help from a surprising source for his older sister, who exhibits the symptoms of autism (the book is set in 1935, before the disease was identified). The solid novel concludes with a historical note.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Building History series. These books do a credible job of exploring the history and impact of these public structures: a maximum-security prison, a large-scale national monument, and a transportation system that drew a country together. The volumes will be useful for reports, but the low-contrast, muddy quality of the photos detracts from the books' overall appeal. The time line in each book is a helpful feature. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Cornerstones of Freedom series. Although the prison at Alcatraz should more properly qualify as a cornerstone of confinement, the five volumes in this series all deal with important episodes and places in American history. Written in simple language and illustrated with archival images, the books serve as solid introductions that contain intriguing historical vignettes without neglecting the overarching historical significance of the topics. Time lines are included. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA In American History series. Touching on Alcatraz's earlier incarnations as the island home of an army fort, a lighthouse, and a military prison, this book concentrates on the years 1934 to 1963, when it served as a federal prison known for its high profile inmates and its reputation for being "inescapable." The cogent text, illustrated with black-and-white photos, discusses daily life in the prison, as well as some of its famous prisoners and escape attempts. A time line is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta