Hawaii-born author and educator Frances H. Kakugawa took home two awards from the Northern California Publishers & Authors for her latest children's book, "Wordsworth Dances the Waltz."

Honored April 25 in Sacramento, Calif., "Wordsworth Dances the Waltz" received the Bronze Award in the Best Book Overall category, as well as the award for Best Illustrated Children's Book.

In it, Wordsworth, a Hawaiian mouse who loves poetry, copes with an aging grandmother. (Kakugawa's late mother, Matsue, was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Kakugawa was her primary caregiver for five years; during that time she found that poetry and journaling helped to ease the rigorous burden of caregiving. )

Born and raised in Kapoho on the Big Island, Kakugawa is a retired O'ahu and Big Island public school teacher. She now lives in Sacramento.

Information: www.bookshawaii.net.