Ben Yokoyama and the cookie of doom

Gr 3--7--Noodle lover Ben Yokoyama is at a Chinese restaurant for the first time when he gets a fortune cookie that says, "Live each day as if it were your last." In Ben's eight-year-old mind this means, "Today might be the last day of your life. Seize the day!" He creates a bucket list that begins with eating a frozen piece of cake that his dad has been saving for a special occasion. Ben is impulsive but thoughtful, and he frequently gets sidetracked and edits his list to accommodate other people, with hilarious results. His other tasks end up including his best friend, sticky notes, a scooter, apples, and blue paint on a cat. As he crosses items off his list, Ben learns about himself and the people around him. The husband-wife team of Swanson and Behr have created a fun, quirky character who shows empathy, love, and an exuberance for life that is fun to read. At nearly 300 pages, the book may intimidate some chapter book readers at first, but the illustrations fill as much of the page as the text does. This book is the first in a series that is sure to entertain. VERDICT A good addition to any elementary school library. Highly recommended.--Julie Overpeck, Gardner Park Elem. Sch., Gastonia, NC

Ben gets into all kinds of antics trying to check things off his bucket list. Eight-year-old Ben Yokoyama is "a big fan of wisdom." So when he opens a fortune cookie that advises, "Live each day as if it were your last," Ben takes it seriously. Fixated on the idea that today could be the last day of his life, Ben starts making a list: Goal No. 1 is to eat a piece of cake, which he immediately accomplishes by eating the very special cake his dad stashed in the freezer. Realizing his mistake, Ben must bake a replacement, plus do all the other things on his list, like perfect a scooter trick and jump over a neighbor's lovingly maintained hedge. As his parents, best friend, and others get involved, Ben decides to steal an apple from an eccentric lady's tree, makes a proper apology, consumes a bag of marshmallows, and more. This fast-paced book is filled with hilarious happenings as Ben gets himself in--and out of--trouble. Along the way, he realizes that sometimes taking risks or trying things that seem scary can lead to making new friendships and discovering fun activities. Joyfully silly illustrations add to the hilarity and action. Like the well-placed speech bubbles, the illustrations and text intersect to create a visually captivating story. Ben presents as biracial, with a Japanese father and White-appearing mother. Full of laughs and excitement. (fortune cookie facts) (Humor. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Chapter One Ben Yokoyama loved noodles the most. He loved them more than cheesecake, French toast, and kiwi fruit, which he loved almost the most. He loved spaghetti noodles and udon noodles and tiny noodles shaped like stars. He loved thin noodles and wide noodles and round noodles and flat noodles. He loved any food with "noodle" in its name. Ben was a noodle man. Are you ready to order? asked his aunt Nora, looking up from her phone. Ben was not ready to order. He'd never been to a Chinese restaurant. There were so many options. His parents preferred the Japanese restaurant, but they were home paying three months of bills all at once. Nora was in charge tonight. Do they have noodles? Ben asked. Yes, they have noodles, said Nora like her brain was on one planet and her mouth was on another. "There," she said, pointing to a part of the menu that said NOODLES. Aunt Nora had long fake fingernails on top of her regular ones. They tapped against her phone like rain on a roof. Ben wondered how hard it would be to open jars with fingernails like that. He read the list of noodle dishes. Chow mein! Lo mein! Dandan! Chow fun ! Ben wanted to eat a noodle that was fun! But there was no rush. Ben was only eight years old. He had a whole wide lifetime to do these things. So instead, he sat patiently while Aunt Nora used her phone to take a picture of her menu. By the time the waiter came, Ben had forgotten the name of the fun- sounding noodle and he couldn't find it again in the ocean of options. Two orders of lo mein, said Aunt Nora. And then she went back to fiddling with her phone and not talking to Ben. He didn't mind. The TV over her shoulder was showing great mountains of noodles being born in a noodle factory. It made the waiting difficult. When the actual noodles came, Ben ate them like a f lame eats a piece of paper when you throw it in the fireplace. Lo mein wasn't particularly fun, but it sure was delicious. Nora ate six noodles. Ben knew because he counted. He couldn't understand it. "Are you going to eat the rest of your noodles?" asked Ben once his noodles were gone. But Aunt Nora didn't hear him. She was busy taking a picture of her fingernails. Ben felt sorry for Nora's noodles, sitting there unloved. Here, he said to the noodles, I'll make you feel better. Ben took Nora's plate and ate her noodles like an anteater eats ants. He was sad that his stomach was not infinite. The waiter took their plates away and brought a tiny tray that held two little lumps wrapped in plastic. They looked like dried- out ravioli, which was another kind of noodle Ben loved. What are they? he asked. Fortune cookies, said Nora. They're full of wisdom. Ben was a big fan of wisdom. Nora split her cookie in two, pulled out a tiny strip of paper, and read out loud. Be sure to notice the wonders that surround you, or else you might miss them. That's good advice, said Ben. It really is, said Nora, placing the strip of paper on the tiny plate and taking a picture with her phone. Ben split his cookie in two and found his own strip of paper inside. Here's what it said: Live each day as if it were your last. Oh boy, said Ben, his mind devouring the wisdom like a black hole devours planets and stars. Chapter Two Ben thought about his fortune all the way home. He thought about it as he walked past the dining room table, where his parents were still paying bills. He thought about it as he brushed his teeth, put on his pajamas, and got into bed. And then he dreamed about it. Everything was different now. Suddenly a lifetime had become a single day. Excerpted from Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Matthew Swanson All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.