Prisoner 88

A surprisingly affecting portrait of a 10-year-old boy in 1885 who is sentenced to five years for manslaughter and sent to the Idaho Territorial Penitentiary. Inspired by a real incident reported in an Idaho newspaper on May 2, 1885, Pileggi convincingly creates a story of a resilient, not-really-aware-that-he's-neglected, illiterate boy with a big heart. Jake struggles to comprehend and survive a harsh prison setting that was never set up to include juveniles. And yet "I was settled in just fine," thanks in part to the kindly warden who arranges for him to work on a hog farm and take reading lessons from a fellow prisoner and to "eating a heaped-up tray of food every darned day." Told from Jake's point of view in the first person, this fast-paced, absorbing debut covers approximately nine months. Jake, aka "prisoner 88," is attacked on several occasions and, during an attempted escape of two of the prisoners, does what he thinks is right, with unforeseen consequences. He takes his job tending the hogs seriously and witnesses both the birth of a litter of piglets and a slaughter. And, against all odds, he develops a community of sorts--a young guard, the farm family, several prisoners, a cat....Mystery surrounds his own story--what happened that day in the saloon when his Pa was threatened and a gun went off, killing the owner; was an injustice done when Jake was convicted? Young readers, including reluctant ones, will be rooting for Jake. (archival photograph, author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-13) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2013

Gr 5-8-Pileggi was taking a tour of the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise, in 1970, when she learned that its youngest prisoner was a 10-year-old convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in the late 1800s. Intrigued, she read newspaper articles and trial transcripts, writing the imagined day-to-day life of this boy. The good and the bad are told through Jake's eyes in a straightforward manner. "Bricks on the floor, three stone walls, and that too-tight-wove metal door. A cage." Yet he thinks he's dreaming when his first meal comes-beef, potatoes, beans, cabbage, and good bread-rarely has he had such good food and certainly not three times a day. Jake is befriended by fellow prisoners, a guard, and the warden; he learns to read and gets a job at a nearby farm with a family to whom he grows attached. Life is fairly mundane until the day a few convicts plan to escape and Jake is nearly killed. The boy comes to terms with his crime and his father's abandonment and is released after a year to a foster family. More than anything, he wants to stay with the family that he's been working for, but things aren't always the way he wants them to be. His voice is real, and his language reflects the stereotypes of the day. For example, a Chinese character is referred to as "the China Man." Large type and a swiftly moving story will engage readers.-Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, San Leandro, CA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Grades 4-8 Could a 10-year-old really be in a penitentiary? Pileggi bases her debut on an actual case in which a boy in 1885 served time in the Idaho Territorial Penitentiary. Young prisoner Jake narrates his story with a lively, winsome voice that will pull readers in and grab their sympathies, particularly as details of his bungled trial are revealed. He nicknames the other prisoners and staff and portrays daily life with a wry wit and beguiling innocence, all the while honing his inner core and survival instinct. In some ways, prison is sheltering for Jake, who had been abandoned by his father; he slowly learns to read, becomes invested in his work tending hogs, and experiences caring adults for the first time. Best of all, he can count on food: They feed us every day? I couldn't hardly believe that. Eventually the hand of justice prevails, and Jake makes good without too many quick fixes. His story and spirit should linger in readers' hearts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)