Comment on major theme.

Gennifer Choldenko adds a unique twist to her coming-of-age story by placing the characters on Alcatraz island, growing up in the immediate viscidity of the country's more dangerous criminals.

Life is challenging to the families on Alcatraz in many normal ways. Health issues and health scares, like Piper’s mom’s pregnancy, are common. Friendship between people like Moose, Piper, and Annie, who are getting older (and whose feelings are trending romantic) becomes strained as things like personality and attraction to one another begin to emerge. Figuring out who you are is also difficult, as in Jimmy’s case. Jimmy must accept he favors more intellectual, and stranger hobbies than baseball.