Alcatraz
The island of Alcatraz, and the prison built on it, symbolize Natalie’s disability (which author Gennifer Choldenko has said would be diagnosed as severe autism today). Moose begins the novel seeing both Alcatraz and…
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The Button Box/Buttons
The way that various characters think about and interact with Natalie’s beloved button box mirrors how they view her—and specifically, whether they see her as a full person with agency, or whether they see…
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