About Us:
The Story Behind The Stories
All about Younger Me Academy in 90 seconds
About the Author
Ben Okon is a children's book author who never outgrew his childhood habit of asking “why?” and “how?” Now that he's a father of two and has to be the one giving the answers, he loves challenging himself to think through the things he wishes he had known earlier in life from the perspective of a child.
But he's not just an author, and he brings a unique analytical method to the design of his children's books. In his other life, Ben is a business leader who has developed people, product, and corporate strategies with companies like Google, Bain & Co., and Starwood Hotels. He crafts and tests each of his books using the same rigor that he employs when making decisions for some of the world's most influential leaders.
He is a regular contributor to schools and educational nonprofits, and holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.
The Science Behind Younger Me Academy
The creation of Younger Me Academy was as rigorous as the research that underlies the book themes.
Our goal was to create the world’s best children’s book for a growth-oriented family. Since the world of publishing hadn’t created it, we needed to approach it differently. After years of research and testing with hundreds of test readers, we identified the 6 features that were most important to reach our goal:
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When both parents and children yearn to learn together, the books need to include lessons advanced enough for an adult to grow yet made simple enough for a child to grasp. And, of course, they needed to be relevant across a lifetime.
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Even the nerdiest of test readers didn’t pull books off the shelf a second time when they felt too much like textbook explainers. But stories got used time and time again.
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Studies show that the ‘neighborhood density’ of words caused by rhythm and rhyme increase vocabulary acquisition in children. And in a structured statistical test of 60+ readers, growth oriented families preferred rhyme by a wide margin.
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We evaluated 100+ illustrators, sampled 5 with test readers, and did a structured statistical test with 60+ readers to decide on the illustrators that would complete the work. We even completely re-illustrated books that did not get excellent reader feedback.
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Studies show that 5 minutes is the attention span of the broadest age range. Test readers loved that they could consistently finish books before a distraction surfaced, but could also fill a car ride or bedtime session without a ceiling-scraping stack of books.
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Even at discount retailers, the average hardcover children’s book retails for $18-$20+. This project is not about profits, so by launching as an 8-book series, publishing independently, and manufacturing in bulk, we can pass on savings that bring the cost to customers down when purchased directly from us.
We also make all of our titles freely available on YouTube, run frequent free e-book campaigns, and have donated hundreds of books to organizations that support children’s education.
The Love Behind Younger Me Academy
A great children’s book…
Great children’s books create moments that can be shared across generations. I realized this when my grandmother Gigi, a retired writing teacher, became isolated during COVID-19 with no way to meet my new baby Judah. Instead, we connected over video, where we enjoyed reading Judah’s books together.
…Can connect across generations…
These moments we shared—the three of us, across nearly 100 years of age—were special, but usually not because of the books. Most books were written for Judah without reaching out to pull me into his moment as well. They taught him the ABC’s, showed him pictures of new things, and told him stories about sharing and friendship.
…and create special moments for everyone
But I wanted a book that I could learn from, too. In particular, I wanted to learn things that I wished I had learned when I was younger, so that Judah and I could grow together. I began writing my own books that could help anybody in any generation learn and grow, and the Younger Me Academy was born.