Al Capone Shines My Shoes is a sequel (currently the second of four books) that makes the most of its setting. I was fascinated to learn that Choldenko spent time as a docent on Alcatraz. Now that’s commitment! Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favorite Hayao Miyazaki films, but the book that inspired it is even better. This is a reread for me, since I am eager to read its sequels. And Zia is considered a sequel of sorts to the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Once again, O’Dell presents the harsh realities and injustices surrounding the colonization of California, especially where native peoples are concerned. Not a happy story, so not really my cup of tea.

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The Zenta and Matsuzo Mysteries are such a refreshing change from the usual brand of detective stories. Set in sixteenth century Japan, the protagonists are a pair of ronin (wandering samurai). In White Serpent Castle, Namioka lets us in on a secret about Zenta’s past. Al Capone Does My Shirts introduces readers to the small community of civilians who live on Alcatraz (wives & children of the guards), and I found the whole story fascinating. No Passengers Beyond this Point, which also happens to be by Choldenko, is an odd story with a surreal quality. It’s interesting that both of her books highlight the struggles and strengths of sibling bonds.

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