at the 18th annual Exhibition of Paintings and Sculptures at the Los Angeles Museum in Exposition Park, Politi's wood sculpture "Pedro and Pepa" and watercolor "Market Scene" were exhibited. A year later "Pedro and Pepa" was displayed again at the 10th annual Southern California Art Exhibition at the Fine Arts Gallery in San Diego. A one-man show at Alma Reed’s Delphic Studios in New York City in 1937 ultimately helped lead him into a career as a children's author and illustrator on Latin themes. His first book was Little Pancho, the illustrated story of a defiant, if not naughty, little Mexican boy on an adventure. Published in 1938, Little Pancho forever steered him onto the path as a children’s author. It also attracted the attention of the left-leaning Script magazine, for which Politi became the magazine’s art editor, and a smaller pacifist publication, Freedom, published by Prynce Hopkins. Early books He also illustrated The Least One by Ruth Sawyer in 1941, Aqui se Habla Espanol by Margarita Lopez and Esther Brown in 1942 and Angelo, the Naughty One by Helen Garrett in 1944. In 1944, he illustrated Stories from the Americas. It marked a distinct departure from Politi's early impressionist, cubist and art deco styles to a softer and less dark, gritty execution that typified his later work. The softer tones and themes continued in all of his future books. Multiculturalism continued to be an overriding theme, but was not overtly political as seen in his magazine work. Recognition The Catholic Library Association each year presents the Regina Medal of excellence to one living exemplar of the words of the English poet, Walter de la Mare "only the rarest kind of best in anything can be good enough for the young," for continued, distinguished contribution to children's literature without regard to the nature of the contribution. In 1966 Leo Politi was the recipient of this distinguished award. In 1974, a branch of the Fresno Public Library was named for him, and in 1991, the Leo Politi Elementary School was dedicated to him in Koreatown, a neighborhood in the Mid-Wilshire district of the City of Los Angeles. There is also a Leo Politi Square in Echo Park, where he lived for many years. Selected books Little Pancho (1938), his first book Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street (1946), a Caldecott runner-up Juanita (1948), a Caldecott runner-up Song of the Swallows (1950),