Mark Childress facts for kids

Mark Childress, born in 1957, is an American writer. He is well-known for his novels. He often writes stories set in the Southern United States.

About Mark Childress

Mark Childress was born in Monroeville, Alabama. He grew up in several different states. These included Ohio, Indiana, Mississippi, and Louisiana. He studied at the University of Alabama.

Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a reporter. He wrote for newspapers like The Birmingham News. He also worked for magazines such as Southern Living. He has lived in places like Dallas and New York. Today, he lives in Key West, Florida.

His articles and reviews have appeared in many publications. These include The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Books for Young Readers

Mark Childress has written three picture books for children. These fun books are:

• Joshua and Bigtooth
• Joshua and the Big Bad Blue Crabs
• Henry Bobbity Is Missing And It Is All Billy Bobbity's Fault

His novel, Crazy in Alabama, was published in 1993. Mark Childress also wrote the movie script for this book. The film was directed by Antonio Banderas.

Awards and Recognition

Mark Childress has received several awards for his writing. He won the Thomas Wolfe Award. He also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Alabama. The Alabama Library Association named him their Writer of the Year.

Popular Novels

His novel Tender was very popular. It was chosen by major book clubs. It also appeared on many "Ten Best of 1990" lists. This book was a national bestseller.

Crazy in Alabama was also a huge success. It was chosen by the Literary Guild. It appeared on many bestseller lists in 1993. The (London) Spectator named it their "Book of the Year" for 1993. The New York Times called it a "Notable Book of the Year." The book was even on the Der Spiegel bestseller list in Germany for ten months. The movie based on the book was shown at big film festivals. These included the Venice Film Festival.

Another of his books, One Mississippi, was a popular summer read. It was featured by "Good Morning America." It was also highlighted in O: The Oprah Magazine and People magazine. Famous author Stephen King named One Mississippi as one of his "Ten Best Books of 2006."