The Unofficial Alcatraz Handbook: A Complete Guide to the Most Often Asked Questions about “The Rock”

Gr 5 Up–Tracy, a former volunteer gardener working on Alcatraz Island, asks and answers 20 questions about “The Rock” and its prisoners, wardens, and guards. In a first-person introduction, Tracy explains what led her to work on the island and how she ended up acting as a sort of docent, helping visitors with directions, etc. Questions include,” Was Alcatraz really a military fort?”; “What type of jobs did the prisoners have?”; “Are there really dungeons under Alcatraz?” Some famous prisoners are identified, with the most notorious, Al Capone, given a lot of attention. So are escape attempts. “You Can Still See It Today” boxes complement each chapter. This could prove helpful to tourists. The writing is thorough and inviting, at times even chatty, while peppered with cartoon illustrations and a few photographs. Tracy offers a thoughtful, personal conclusion to finish off the text. There is an extensive bibliography, but no index. The table of contents is useful.