Two-time Olympic bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani will release their first book, “Kudo Kids: The Mystery of the Masked Medalist” (Penguin Random House), on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Andy and Mika are going to Tokyo. The Kudo Kids have never been to Japan before, so they can’t believe they get to attend the Summer Olympics there. The siblings plan to eat tons of delicious Japanese food, watch every event they can, and win a super-popular new game called OlympiFan.
Developed by a mysterious former medalist, OlympiFan brings players together from all over the world to search Tokyo for virtual medals and clues to the secretive creator’s identity. Andy loves puzzles, and he’s determined to crack this one, especially since the winning team will get to be beta testers for the Masked Medalist’s future games.
Mika wants to find as many clues as she can, but she also has a secret goal of her own —one that could get her into big trouble. But when someone sabotages the game, the Kudo Kids have an even bigger mystery to solve than the Masked Medalist’s identity. If they want to capture the gold, Mika and Andy have to figure out who’s trying to stop their team before someone beats them to the grand prize.
Co-written by Michelle Schusterman; illustrated by Yaoyao Ma Van As.
“What a fun ride throughout this book!” said Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic gold medalist and children’s book author. “It not only got me excited about the Olympics, but the OlympiFan game was full of twists and intrigue. A contemporary story that will connect with young readers everywhere.”
“An exhilarating page-turning romp through Tokyo for fans of puzzle games and mysteries! This book made me hungry for Japanese food and for more in this series,” said Debbi Michiko Florence, author of the “Jasmine Toguchi” series and “Keep It Together, Keiko Carter.”
Until Monday, Sept. 7, the “Shib Sibs” are offering those who pre-order their book an exclusive medal. For U.S. residents, 18+. See terms at: https://bit.ly/kudokidspreorder
Check out the Shibutanis’ YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/ShibSibs) and merch shop (https://amazon.com/shibsibs).