It has been a challenge to find good books for my 5th grade daughter who does not enjoy the fantasy genre that seems to be so popular these days. She likes books that tell stories that she can relate to. I prefer her to read books that do not have questionably mature subject matter. Al Capone Does My Shirts fits that bill. This story is particularly relevant to my daughter as she has a brother with autism, just like the main character. The only "downside" if there had to be one is that the book is rather short and she read it within 2 nights. This would be a good book for a young child who has advanced reading skills but you would not want to expose to scary or age-inappropriate themes.