FOCAL Award Ceremony, LAPL, with Shawn Amos and Dewi Ochoa.
On Saturday, November 16th, I joined friends, family, and members of FOCAL (Friends of Children and Libraries) gathered at the Mark Taper Auditorium of the LAPL Central Library for the annual FOCAL Award presentation, this year given to Shawn Amos for his book Cookies and Milk, a semi-autographical novel about a boy growing up in Los Angeles. In the tradition of the award, he was presented with a puppet of the main character of the book. A second identical puppet will go on display in the children's room of the library, joining puppets from previous years. The puppets were created by Jesse Kingsley and Moira MacDonald.
The program was introduced by Marilyn Robertson, FOCAL President. After the presentation of the puppets and a short speech by Shawn Amos about how he came to write the book, the essay contest winners were introduced by Sandy Schuckett. The four students read their excellent essays to the audience. They wrote about how they responded to the book, a favorite part or character, and why they would like to meet the author. The program ended with a Q & A session with Shawn Amos led by Dewi Ochoa, Chair of Social Media for FOCAL. Then we all enjoyed chocolate chip cookies in the library patio.
Refreshments at the FOCAL event included chocolate chip cookies from the Homebay Bakery.
I have been a member of FOCAL for many years. In order to be awarded the FOCAL book award, the book must be of the highest literary and artistic quality, and must have California content. I know how hard it is to choose a winner–I served on the committee for four years. This year’s choice is excellent and a fitting book to celebrate.
Set in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, Cookies and Milk features Ellis Bailey Johnson, a black kid in a white world, and his father, who start a cookie store in an abandoned A-frame
shack that they fix up. The book deals with racism, family issues, family secrets,
growing up, and character-building as well as business-building. The awards committee found it a lively and compelling read for all ages.