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Michael Benner

@michaelbennerwrites

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📖 NY Times #1 bestselling children's book author
🖊️ Rep'd by Stacey Glick @dystelgoderichandbourret
❤️ Halloween, puns, jokes, and anything funny!

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Join us on a @NYPL book scavenger hunt! 📚 During a recent trip to NYC, Susan and Natalia spotted several books by WB members, staff, and faculty on the shelves—check these out at your local library:

A River of Dust by @jilanne2694
Stella's Special Recipe by @melissa_stoller
The Hike to Home by WB Director of Engagement @jessrinkerauthor
When We Were Them by Verge author advisor @laura_namey
Breathe and Count Back from Ten by WB Director of Marketing @nataliasylv
The Ghost Who Saved Halloween by @jenanyong
Two Grooms on a Cake by Verge author advisor @robsanders
Brave New Ballet by @robynmcgrathwrites
Mac and Cheese: The Origin Story by @michaelbennerwrites✨

#books #library #bookstagram #writers #writingcommunity

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What's next in Alison Hawkins and Michael L. Benner's Delicious Duo series? MILK & COOKIES, of course! Alison's art and Michael's punny narrative bake a sweet follow-up to their NYT #1 Bestselling Mac & Cheese, a perfect dessert kids will clamor for at storytime. Publishing from Scholastic in June 2027!
#deliciousduos #kidlit #kidlitart #humor #picturebooks #librariansofinstagram

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Had so much fun at @scbwiaustintx conference yesterday!!! A few highlights included meeting my mentee @annamarielindsey, moderating the first panel of the day with amazing picture book authors, meeting editor @vnssaguirre, and of course meeting authors and illustrators striving for their dream!

And thank you to @annaalsupbooks for putting all this together, creating an amazing day, and inviting me to be part of @scbwiaustintx conference!

Thank you to all those who bought my book and let me sign it too! @nafaris a special thank you for approaching me and letting me know your daughter loves my books! The best highlight any author could ask for!

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POV: come with WB founder @bethany.hegedus to the @texasbookfestival author lineup reveal party! 📚✨ The only thing better than spending 2 days in downtown Austin with 280 other authors is getting to celebrate them when they're announced. This year we're excited to see so many Writing Barn authors and friends will be part of the festivities: former student & TA @teachsolis, former students @michaelbennerwrites, @meghanpbrowne, & @karilavellewrites, former instructors @DavidoBowles, @RebeccaBendheim and @laekanzeakemp, and our very own marketing director @nataliasylv. Who did we miss? Let us know if you'll be there, too! 💪🏼

#writingcommunity #texasbookfest #books #authors

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so.... despite the grid, I do read pbs. Here are some newer funnier faves! send me recs too! (I like speech bubbles! non-linear! surprises!)

And bec I can’t find an insta for Alison Hawkins, let this be a tag to see more work!
https://www.alisonhawkinsportfolio.com

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When my daughter was little, there was a time I could have sworn she was at least 80% mac and cheese! Who could blame her!?!

But how did this delicious duo come to be??

Well, according to this book…

“Mac’s search for a friend was like finding a noodle in a haystack. Cheese was in pieces, provolonely and friendless. Until one day, when Mac’s adventures brought him to Quesoland and everything changed.”

Ha! Pure puntastic and amazing, this friendship story is as hilarious as it is sweet. It will leave you begging for seconds!

Well done Michael!

MAC & CHEESE THE ORIGIN STORY written by Michael L. Benner @michaelbennerwrites illustrated by Alison Hawkins published 2026 by Orchard Books, Scholastic @scholastic

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A big thanks to @shirleywaisman and @niyati.froind for having me, @annkoffsky, and @michaelbennerwrites for our presentation “Finding the Funny.” An audience of 90+ on four continents—the wonders of Zoom! We hope our presentation helped other picture book writers and illustrators add humor to their stories.

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Mac met Cheese 🧀 Cheese met Mac 🍝 The rest is delicious history

📚 Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story

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Mac met Cheese 🧀 Cheese met Mac 🍝 The rest is delicious history

📚 Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story

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My kids & I were SO excited to add this FUN, delightful, heart-warming friendship story to our collection. We’re still giggling together over the puns!

It’s so easy to celebrate our LOCAL @scbwiaustintx kidlit authors when we have SO MANY amazing ones!!!! Congrats @michaelbennerwrites on this wonderfully bright picture book!

#kidsbooks #picturebook #kidlit #childrensbook #author

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Mac met Cheese 🧀 Cheese met Mac 🍝 The rest is delicious history

📚 Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story

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From getting unstuck during a Writing Barn PB class with @carmenoliver9013 in 2021 to an instant #1 NYT Bestseller! We're so happy to see @michaelbennerwrites's Mac and Cheese: The Origin Story find its way to so many readers' hearts.🧀

And to think, it all started with a well-timed dinner💛. As Michael recalls, one of the many picture book techniques Carmen Oliver shared in her class was that of picture book duos like Frog & Toad:

"On the night we learned about picture book duos, I'd had mac & cheese to eat for dinner. When Carmen gave us the homework assignment to draft a new picture book manuscript by the next class, inspiration struck and the next day I wrote the first draft of Mac and Cheese."

Thanks for sharing the origin story of Mac and Cheese: The Origin Story, Michael!👏🧡🎊

If you're ever stuck or feel like you're out of ideas for what to write next, try Michael's advice to get the words flowing again. And check out our upcoming classes...you never know what they may set into motion.

#thewritingbarn #writerscommunity #authorworld #books

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