That’s an issue that I feel strongly about and I wanted to explore. Also, the energy people give to neuroatypical children seems to evaporate once they become adults. And when that happens I know that’s my subconscious trying to get my attention. GC: I wasn’t planning on including a character with autism, but every time I went to Alcatraz as a docent or to do research, I thought of my sister, Gina, who had autism. KidLit Craft: When you began to write the first book in the series, did you decide to include a character with autism, or did Natalie find her way into the novel unexpectedly? And Natalie is a bit like the sister I never quite understood. There were more sides to Moose and Natalie that I wanted to explore – more complexity than I could handle in one book. I guess I would say they are complex characters with rich inner lives. KidLit Craft: What makes these characters ones you’ve wanted to return to over the years? That way I came to each book eager to spend two or three years on Alcatraz again. For me, it was important to write other novels between the Alcatraz installments. But it was the best way to make sure each novel was the absolute best story I could write.

And certainly writing four Tales from Alcatraz novels over the course of 13 years wasn’t the best marketing plan.

Did you intend to write a four book series when you began writing Al Capone Does My Shirts? KidLit Craft: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the fourth book in a successful series. Gennifer couldn’t have been more gracious and supportive. Recently, she visited our middle grade book club, and we were beyond delighted to ask her all about her very successful Alcatraz series, especially her fourth in the series, AL CAPONE THROWS ME A CURVE, as well as her writing process. Gennifer Choldenko is the Newbery Honor, ALA notable, NYT Best-selling author of Tales from Alcatraz along with numerous other novels and picture books.

Al capone books by gennifer choldenko