Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story

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Author(s)

Michael Benner

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Alison Hawkins

Publisher

Orchard Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

July 14, 2026

ISBN

978-1546140764

Buy This Book

The Bad Seed meets The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors in a pasta-tively hilarious story about the most enduring friendship of all time: Mac & Cheese!

The first book from the brand new and pun-tastic Delicious Duos series, Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story explores the heartfelt and hilarious story behind the iconic pair!

Mac was a friendly Noodle from Pastaland and rubbed elbows with everyone. But he didn’t have the one thing he wanted most: a friend. So one day, he packs up and goes on an epic journey that takes him across the Sea of Snacks, to the Isle of Candy, through the Desert of Dessert, and beyond Mount Cheddar, until he finds himself in... Quesoland.

In Quesoland, Cheese was king. And while he could be a real crowd-pleaser, he didn't have the one thing he wanted most: a friend. When a mysterious and hilarious newcomer from Pastaland arrives, Cheese wonders if Mac might be who he was looking for all this time.

Join Mac and Cheese in their search for true friendship, told through Michael Benner's hilarious, heartwarming text, and Alison Hawkins' endearing, delightful visuals! Perfect for the youngest readers, this funny and sweet read-aloud will ensure a goud-a time!

Editor review

1 review

Funny and Punny

June 30, 2026 (Updated: July 01, 2026)

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story is a hilarious picture book by Michael Benner that tells the tale of how mac and cheese became an iconic pairing. Mac is a piece of pasta who loves being social and meeting new noodles, but despite his best efforts, he still feels all alone. Driven to find his missing half, He ventures to Quesoland, where he meets King Cheese. The two quickly bond over their shared feelings of loneliness, ultimately discovering true friendship together.

What I liked: The illustrations are fantastic! They are bright, colorful, and perfectly complement the story's high energy. While it is a genuinely funny book, it also has a surprising amount of heart. Young readers will easily empathize with Mac and Cheese's feelings of isolation, making their journey to find connection both relatable and incredibly sweet. The text is packed with clever food puns that adults will easily chuckle at, even if some of the wordplay goes over the heads of younger readers.

I highly recommend this book to young readers who love a good laugh, a heartwarming friendship story, and a side of mac & cheese.