Watt Key facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Watt Key
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Albert Watkins Key, Jr. October 28, 1970 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality |  American |
| Education | Birmingham–Southern College (BA) Spring Hill College (MBA) |
| Notable works | Alabama Moon,( ISBN: 978-0-374-30184-2 (1st edition hardback) Dirt Road Home, Fourmile |
| Notable awards | E.B. White Read-Aloud Award (2007) |
| Spouse | Katie Feore Key (1994–present) |
| Children | Adele Key, Albert Key, and Mary Michael Key |
Watt Key (born Albert Watkins Key, Jr.) is an American author. He is famous for writing exciting survival stories for young adults. Watt Key lives in Alabama.
His first book, Alabama Moon, came out in 2006. It won the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award in 2007. The book also received a Parents' Choice Award. Alabama Moon has been translated into eight different languages. In 2015, TIME Magazine named it one of the top 100 young-adult books ever. A movie based on Alabama Moon was released in 2009. It starred actor John Goodman.
Contents
About Watt Key's Life
Watt Key went to Bayside Academy in Daphne, Alabama. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Birmingham–Southern College. Later, he received a Master of Business Administration from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Watt Key worked as a computer programmer. He started sending his stories to publishers in New York City. When he was 34, his first novel, Alabama Moon, was accepted by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Watt Key lives in Mobile, Alabama, with his wife and three children.
Awards and Recognitions for Books
Watt Key's books have won many awards and been recognized by different groups. Here are some of the honors:
Awards for Alabama Moon (2006)
- American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults
- E. B. White Read Aloud Award, 2007
- ALLA Young Adult Book Award
- Auckland Council librarian's choice
- SIBA Young Adult Book Award, 2007
- Parents' Choice Award Winner
- California Young Reader Medal
- Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Choice Award Master List
- Indiana Young Hoosier Award Master List
- James Medison University Book Award List: Best Books For Young Adults
- Maine Student Book Award Master List
- Missouri Truman Readers Award Master List
- Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Master List for 2011
- Volunteer State Book Award Nominees
- Wildcat Book Award Nominees 2008-2009
Awards for Dirt Road Home (2010)
- ALLA Young Adult Book Award
- The Cybils Awards Master List
Awards for Fourmile (2012)
- Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year 2013
- 2014-2015 Indian Paintbrush Nominee Titles
- Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year
- Indiana Young Hoosier Award Master List
- Maine Student Book Award Master List
- 2014-2015 MASL Readers Awards Preliminary Nominees
- The Mobile Bay Art & Music Awards (MODDYs) Master list
- South Carolina Children's Book Award Master List 2014
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Master List
Watt Key's Published Works
Watt Key has written many novels and other works.
Novels and Collections
- Alabama Moon, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006
- Dirt Road Home, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010
- Fourmile, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012
- Among the Swamp People, The University of Alabama Press, 2015
- Terror at Bottle Creek, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016
- Hideout, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017
- Deep Water, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018
- Bay Boy, The University of Alabama Press, 2019
- Beast, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020
- The Forgotten Coast, (as Albert Key) Penfish Press, 2021
- The Black Hat and Other Tales of Horror, (as Albert Key) Penfish Press, 2021
Other Writings
- Swamp Writer series, Mobile Bay Magazine, August 2012 - June 2014 (Essays)
- Bay Boy series, Mobile Bay Magazine, July 2014 (Essays)
- Alabama Moon, Faulkner-McLean Productions, 2009 (Screenplay)
- L.A. Dirt, Tundra Films, 2014 (Screenplay)
