Jonathan W Stokes Books in Order
See all Jonathan W Stokes books in order, with short summaries, series background for Addison Cooke and The Thrifty Guides, plus tips on where to start.
Last updated: June 7, 2026
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Publication Order
7 books
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas
by Jonathan W Stokes
2016
After his uncle uncovers the first clue to a lost Incan hoard, twelve year old Addison Cooke finally sees his chance for real adventure. When kidnappers snatch his aunt and uncle, Addison, Molly, and their friends chase them through Peru and the Amazon, cracking codes before the thieves strike gold.
Addison Cooke and the Tomb of the Khan
by Jonathan W Stokes
2017
When a violent gang kidnaps his aunt and uncle in a plot tied to the legendary tomb of Genghis Khan, Addison Cooke heads across Asia with Molly, Raj, and Eddie. From crowded cities to remote deserts, they dodge booby traps and bandits in a race to save both family and treasure.
The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece
by Jonathan W Stokes
2018
This tongue in cheek handbook treats ancient Greece as a vacation hotspot, with tips on tunics, cheap seats at the theater in Athens, and safe viewing of the first Olympics, while explaining myths, the Persian Wars, and how city states like Athens and Sparta worked.
The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome
by Jonathan W Stokes
2018
Posing as a budget travel handbook from the future, this guide helps readers navigate ancient Rome: where to sleep, what to eat, how to avoid barbarian attacks, and what to expect at the Colosseum, all while slipping in clear explanations of Roman politics and daily life.
The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution
by Jonathan W Stokes
2018
Framed as a snarky time travel guide, this book walks kids through the American Revolution as if they are visiting colonial New England. It explains how to join spy rings, survive life in Washington’s army, and meet famous patriots without losing your head.
Addison Cooke and the Ring of Destiny
by Jonathan W Stokes
2019
When his aunt and uncle disappear near the tomb of Genghis Khan, Addison Cooke receives a mysterious package that sends criminals from around the world after his family. Addison, Molly, Raj, and Eddie sprint through London, Paris, and Istanbul to unravel a Cooke clan curse first.
The Thrifty Guide to Medieval Times
by Jonathan W Stokes
2019
Written as a travel guide for time tourists, this volume covers the muddy realities of the Middle Ages. Readers learn about hovels and castles, the Black Plague, marauding Huns, and jousting tournaments, picking up big picture history while laughing at the narrator’s dry asides.
Where should I start?
If you want globe-trotting adventure: Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas → Addison Cooke and the Tomb of the Khan → Addison Cooke and the Ring of Destiny.
If you love funny history with time travel: The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome → The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution → The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece → The Thrifty Guide to Medieval Times.
If you're picking one book for a new reader (~8–10): Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas.
If you want a quick classroom-friendly history pick: The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution → The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome.
Author bio
Jonathan W. Stokes writes the kind of stories he loved as a kid, full of jokes, narrow escapes, and odd bits of history. Born in Manhattan and raised in Connecticut, he worked as a teacher before becoming a Hollywood screenwriter and author of fast moving books for young readers.(en.wikipedia.org)
Stokes graduated from Weston High School, then headed west to the Claremont Colleges, where he majored in philosophy. After college he trained in improv and sketch comedy at theaters like Upright Citizens Brigade, ImprovOlympic, and Second City, sharpening the timing that shows up on every page.(en.wikipedia.org)
Before his scripts started selling, he also built things. In 2006 he co-created a finance wiki called ValueWiki with a high school friend; a few years later the project was acquired by a larger wiki company. Alongside side projects like that, he spent time in the classroom, teaching before turning to writing full time.(en.wikipedia.org)
In film and television, Stokes has written screenplays for studios including Warner Brothers, Universal, Fox, Paramount, New Line, and Sony. His spec script Murders and Acquisitions sold to Warner Brothers, and the action thriller El Gringo was produced with Joel Silver and released in 2012.(en.wikipedia.org)
He has also written projects like Blood Mountain, Murder in the White House, and The Vampire Asset, building a career that moves between muscular thrillers and twisty crime stories. Over the years he has placed five screenplays on the Black List, a yearly survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced scripts.(en.wikipedia.org)
Stokes directs as well as writes. His feature The Last Hurrah, shot in a single continuous take, follows a group of friends at a going away party and leans on the loose, talky style often called mumblecore. He later directed the thriller Wildcat and several short films, including Men, Interrupted, Wipe, Air, and Victory.(en.wikipedia.org)
After years in that world, he turned back to the stories that made him fall in love with movies in the first place. Inspired by favorites like The Goonies and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, he created the Addison Cooke novels, about a wisecracking New York seventh grader who keeps getting dragged into global treasure hunts with his sister and best friends.(penguinrandomhouse.com)
Across Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas, Addison Cooke and the Tomb of the Khan, and Addison Cooke and the Ring of Destiny, readers get booby trapped caves, secret codes, kidnappings, and long chases through jungles, deserts, and ancient ruins. The books mix slapstick humor with real world history, letting kids learn about the Incas, Genghis Khan, and other subjects while cheering for a kid who talks his way out of almost anything.(penguinrandomhouse.com)
Stokes also writes The Thrifty Guides, a set of humorous time travel handbooks that teach history by pretending to be travel guides from the future. Titles like The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome, The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution, The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece, and The Thrifty Guide to Medieval Times answer questions such as where to stay, what to eat, and how not to get killed if you drop into a major battle or plague year.(penguinrandomhouse.com)
Whether he is writing about kids outsmarting gangsters or tourists dodging lions in the Colosseum, Stokes leans on brisk pacing, clear stakes, and a steady stream of jokes. He lives in Los Angeles, where jacket bios hint that he takes as much pride in a good high five as in a good plot twist.(penguinrandomhouse.com)
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