The book opens up with talking about Moose and his family's move from Santa Monica to Alcatraz. Moose is not happy about the move. Why should he? Who would want to be stuck on a cement rock in the middle on the bay where everyone is a dangerous criminal? He's also less than thrilled, because of the circumstances of their move Moose has to look after his autistic sister, Natalie. Natalie was accepted into the Esther P. Marinoff School, which was a special school for people like his sister. But she was sent home because she "wasn't adjusting" to the school. Which means that Moose becomes her caretaker. Moose starts to like the other kids who also live on the island, including a girl named Piper, the warden's daughter. Piper is a trouble maker
