Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

“This is my favorite book of the year.” —Lincoln Peirce, New York Times bestselling author of Big Nate series

Meet Ben, a literal-minded kid with a big heart and an even bigger sweet-tooth, who cracks open a fortune cookie and discovers that TODAY might be his last day on Earth! Perfect for fans of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID or DOG MAN.

Live each day as if it were your last.

When Ben reads his fortune-cookie fortune, he’s alarmed and inspired. Immediately, he begins drafting a bucket list of unfinished tasks and lifelong dreams (finish his 1000-piece model of the Taj Mahal, eat an entire cake, etc….). As Ben marches himself in and out of trouble, takes useful risks, and helps both his parents to see the bigger picture, readers discover how something that seems scary can instead be empowering—leading to friendships that might never have been made, neighbors that might never have been known, and apple pies that might otherwise never have been baked.

Story Locale: Anytown USA

Series Overview: COOKIE CHRONICLES is a highly-illustrated middle grade series starring 9-year-old Ben Yokoyama, who gets a new fortune each book, and goes on a new adventure as a result.

About the Author

Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr are the husband/wife, author/illustrator team behind The Real McCoys, Babies Ruin Everything and Everywhere, Wonder (Imprint Books). Until recently, they also ran two small presses: Bobbledy Books and Idiots’ Books. These days, they spend most of their time making books and raising four kids (10, 8, 6, and almost 2) in the hayloft of an old barn in Chestertown, Maryland. They spend the rest of their time speaking, teaching, and leading workshops on collaboration and creative entrepreneurship-and the rest of the rest of their time running a commercial salmon fishing operation on the Alaskan tundra.

Author Residence: Chestertown, Maryland