‘Owen’ Sweeps ’24 Children’s Book Awards

The children’s book ‘The Happy Life of a Possum Named Owen’ won both children’s book awards from the Georgia Independent Authors’ Association. The author, Michael E. Owens, won Best Children’s Book for 2024, and his wife, Leda Owens, won Best Children’s Book Cover Award for 2024. She also won the award for the second consecutive year, winning best cover in 2023 for their children’s book ‘Camelino’. Mr. Owens was selected as Finalist for the same book.

“It was thrilling to win the award two years in a row,” claimed Mrs. Owens, a self-taught illustrator who has been the illustrator of note for all the children’s books by her author-husband and other local authors as well.

“It’s a real honor to be recognized for your efforts to write quality children’s books,” added Mr. Owens who has written a total of twelve books with seven of them being children’s books. “We enjoy collaborating on our books. Leda in her art room drawing and me in my basement office. We work together on coming up with ideas and topics for new books, ‘Owen’ was one such book.”

In addition to her illustrating books, Leda is an acknowledged artist with several paintings being recognized in shows and various art galleries. “Having the public notice your work and purchase it is a real honor,” she added.

One important consideration when the couple write is to do a lot of research and include as many interesting facts about the subjects in their books as possible. Here is an excerpt of Owen talking to his mother:

“You were only about the size of a bumble bee,” said his mother.

“Wow I was that small when I was born?”

Owen had always been curious about everything. Today, he seemed to be extra curious, asking many more questions than normal.Owen learned so much from the short time he was with his mother. Possums like Owen only live two to three years. His mother introduced him to ticks, a possum’s favorite food. She warned him about cars and the dangers of people and predators.

The artwork in all the books is hand-drawn according to Leda. “I have always enjoyed drawing for as long as I can remember,” she says, “and being able to illustrate for these books has been most pleasurable.”

Leda has served as president of the Lilburn Arts Alliance for two years and is now the current Vice President. Mike has written plays and directed plays for the Bethesda Senior Center and the Rowell Adult Recreation Center, and he is currently writing additional children’s books to be published by the Scribblers Press.

The Owens’s books are available on Amazon and on www.Scribblersweb.com, the bookstore of the Scribbler’s Christian Writers Group. In addition to the current books published by the Owens’s, Leda has also designed Greeting Cards, Inspirational Cards and matted Prints available for sale on the Scribblers website.