Siblings, detectives, and absolute opposites,
Moxie and Milton McCoy prove that
when it comes to saving the world,
two brains are, indeed, better than one.
They are THE REAL McCOYS.
About the Creators
Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr are an author/illustrator, husband/wife duo who make books and raise kids in an old barn in Maryland. (more)
Real McCoys Blog
Posts about process, collaboration, and what we ate for lunch. Letters from our readers (don’t be shy). Stories of our Moxie-related travels. Occasional missives of marginal relevance.
Appearances
We do readings, talks, and workshops at schools, libraries, and other places where children convene. We also do virtual visits. Here’s how to book us.
Live Videos
Follow us on Facebook to watch live shows on books, creativity, and collaboration. Note that we only sometimes wear children’s underwear and pants as hats.
Moxie McCoy
Force of Nature
Strong like a bicep and quick like a ninja, I am the greatest fourth-grade detective in the history of time. I gather evidence. I rattle the suspects. I really, truly don’t like marshmallows. I am the one and only star of this book.
Milton McCoy
Dopey Little Brother
Milton is short. And quiet. And closely resembles a tired turtle. While I collect clues and strike fear in the hearts of our enemies, he tugs on his earlobe and connects the dots. When he’s not being irritating, he can sometimes be useful.
Annabelle Adams
Girl Detective
The bravest, smartest, swashbucklingist 12-year-old supersleuth ever to walk the planet. Her heroic adventures are contained in 58 indespensible volumes of glory and delight.
Dr. Fungo
Evil Incarnate
The single most dastardly supervillain known to man or beast. Each of his 58 diabolical attempts to cleverly inconvenience humanity have been thwarted by Annabelle Adams.
Principal Jones
Our Noble Leader
Tiddlywhump Elementary School’s extraordinary principal. She is tall. She is wise. She has a tank of toothless eels hidden beneath the floor of her office. For real.
Mrs. Breath
Ugh. UGH!
Principal Jones’s utterly unpleasant receptionist. There has never been and never will be a human being who more closely resembles a bulldog in a pantsuit.
Bob Tuttleman
Human Sparkplug
Too full of life and enthusiasm to even consider sitting still. If you put him in a room with an alligator and told him not to touch the alligator, he would give it a great big hug.
Tammy Dublinger
Horrible and Awful
Smart and perfect and mean. Glaring and scheming and smug. Great at math and spelling. Enthusiastic Wonder Scout. Devoted to dental hygiene. Tracy’s evil twin.
Tracy Dublinger
Somehow Even Worse
Smart and perfect and mean. Glaring and scheming and smug. Great at math and spelling. Enthusiastic Wonder Scout. Devoted to dental hygiene. Tammy’s evil twin.
Emily Estevez
Frenemy
Sweet and good. Giving and kind. My chief competition for the Eddie Award (given to greatest all-around student) and the leading candidate to be my new best friend.
Leon Magruder
Harmless Oddball
Draws comics always and ever. On any surface. An engine of unfiltered imagination. Pays no attention to unimportant details like what day it is or what planet he’s on.
Mrs. Bunyan
Fourth Grade Teacher
Older than a mountain. Grouchier than a woodpecker with a stuffy beak. The only thing that makes her happier than talking about dental hygiene is sending kids to the principal’s office.
Marvin Hammer
Kindly Custodian
Takes kids seriously. Smiles pretty much always. Whistles while he works. Is not the sort of person who gives you a hard time if he happens to find you in the hallway with out a pass.
Laser-Eyed Wallaby
Do Not Mess With Him
A wallaby. Who shoots lasers from his eyes. The inspiration for Annabelle’s patented “Wallaby Death Stare.” That’s all you get to know. Everything else is classified.
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