FOCAL AWARD PRESENTATION 2024: Celebrating COOKIES AND MILK by Shawn Amos

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.

 

FOCAL Award Luncheon Honoring Author Uma Krishnaswami for Her Book STEP UP TO THE PLATE MARIA SINGH

Uma Krishnaswami, Author of Step Up to the Plate Maria Singh

Last Saturday was the 39th annual FOCAL Award Luncheon, held at the elegant Smereldi's Restaurant at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. (FOCAL–Friends of Children and Literature–is the support group of the Los Angeles Public Library Children’s Department.)

Uma Krishnaswami and Caroline Gill, FOCAL President

This year’s honoree was author Uma Krishnaswami for her middle grade novel Step Up to the Plate Maria Singh, about a young girl living in Yuba City, California, during World War II, who wants to play baseball on the school team.

Book sale table and committee member Meredith McGowan

Maria copes with the disapproval of her traditionalist Mexican mother and the many financial worries of her doting Punjabi father as she tries to fit in with the other students at her school. In her excellent speech accepting the FOCAL award, Uma Krishnaswami told us how she got the idea for this historical fiction story and the background of this little known culturally blended group in the Yuba City area of northern California.

Student winners of the essay contest: Rachel Hume, Christopher T. Redekopp, Olive R. Sanders. With Sandy Schuckett, Essay Judge Chair and Uma Krishnaswami

I always enjoy going to the FOCAL Award Luncheon. It is an opportunity to see friends, hear the student winners of the essay contest read their insightful essays about why they would like to meet the author, see the wonderful book theme centerpieces made by the art students of Ray Moszkowicz at Nobel Middle School and the puppets created by Jesse Kingsley and Moira Lael Macdonald, and, of course, to enjoy a delicious lunch.

Jesse Kingsley and his puppets of Maria Singh. One was given to the author and the other to the Children's Room at LAPL

For four years I served on the Award Committee and I know how hard it is to select just one book for the award.

Carol Raby, Chair of Award Committee

Nominees are books for children that take place in California or shed light on some aspect of California life or history. (For a list of past winners, click HERE.)

Renny Day, VP Correspondence, Membership, FOCAL Points Editor and Barbara Metzenbaum, Past President

I thank all the hard working members of the 2018 Award Committee for their excellent choice, the judges of the Essay Contest and the students and their parents and teachers for their enthusiasm for the book, and the members of the FOCAL Board for their support of the library and for putting on another excellent Award Luncheon.

Centerpiece depicting Maria playing baseball; made by students of Ray Moszkowicz at Noble Middle School