Synopses & Reviews
After his recapture at the end of Alabama Moon, gutsy fourteen-year-old Hal Mitchell is sentenced to live at Hellenweiler, an institution that is more like a jail than the boys home its supposed to be. Hal could walk out in just a few months if he keeps out of trouble. But in a place like Hellenweiler, the more he tries to avoid the gangs and their violence, the harder Hals fellow inmates try to make him fail.
Review
“Key nicely paces his tale, steadily building the tension. . . . Theres more than enough action to keep the fidgitiest adolescent boy glued to the page here.”—
Mobile Press-Register
“With authentic characters and a candid first-person narrative, Keys story offers a disturbing appraisal of life in a juvenile facility, and a riveting battle for justice.”—Publishers Weekly
“The short chapters, quick pacing, and plentiful dialogue make Keys impressive second effort an especially appealing choice for reluctant boy readers.”—The Horn Book
“A gripping tale of a 14-year-old caught in a justice system that is not about justice at all.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Hal quickly learns that the boys who want to fight him arent his real challenge—its the guards who allow it to happen.”—Birmingham Magazine
“. . . Hals efforts to contain his rage and navigate brawls keep the atmosphere tense and pacing fleet. . . . for comeuppance it doesnt get much more satisfying.”—Booklist
Synopsis
The story of of the orphan boy Moon, begun in Watt Key's award-winning Alabama Moon, continues with Dirt Road Home
After his recapture, gutsy 14-year-old Hal Mitchell is sentenced to live at Hellenweiler, an institution that is more like a jail than the boys' home it's supposed to be. Hal could walk out in just a few months if he keeps out of trouble. But in a place like Hellenweiler, the more he tries to avoid the gangs and their violence, the stronger Hal's fellow inmates try to make him fail. This title has Common Core connections.
Key does a fabulous job of keeping his readers involved in the story and vested in the characters. Even reluctant readers will most likely find this one hard to put down. -- VOYA
Synopsis
This companion to the acclaimed novel Alabama Moon follows the story of one of the characters as he is sent to a tougher juvie facility than the one he escaped.
About the Author
Albert Watkins Key, Jr., publishing under the name Watt Key, is an award-winning southern fiction author. He grew up and currently lives in southern Alabama with his wife and family. Watt spent much of his childhood hunting and fishing the forests of Alabama, which inspired his debut novel, Alabama Moon, published to national acclaim in 2006. Alabama Moon won the 2007 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award and has been translated in seven languages. Keys second novel, Dirt Road Home, was published in 2010.