Wally Amos, founder of "Famous Amos" cookies, dies at 88

are also found in stores nationwide.

But Amos said the fame never really mattered much to him. "Being famous is highly overrated anyway," Amos told The Associated Press in 2007.

Wally's son Shawn , a blues musician and author, helped create the first shop in Hollywood with his father. Shawn Amos' book, "Cookies and Milk," published in 2022, is based in part on his experiences growing up as the son of the Famous Amos founder.

"It's a book about joy, it's a book about fathers and sons who want to be seen by each other," he said on "CBS Mornings."

Shawn said he worked the front of the store while his father baked cookies in the back.

Amos' children praised their father for teaching them the value of hard work, believing in themselves, and chasing their dreams. "He was a true original Black American hero," they said in their statement.

Amos was also an active promoter of reading. He wrote eight books, served as spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America for 24 years and delivered motivational talks to corporations, universities and other groups, AP reported. His volunteerism earned him the National Literacy Award, which was presented to him by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, according to AP.

"Your greatest contribution to your country is not your signature straw hat in the Smithsonian, but the people you have inspired to learn to read," Bush said.