Meet the Author
Dan Cohen
Storyteller. Adventurer. Animal Lover. Advocate for a Kinder World.
A Life Full of Stories
Dan Cohen has worn a remarkable number of hats over the years—soldier, park ranger, K-9 handler, attorney, judge, baseball umpire, husband, father and grandfather. But one of the roles he never expected was becoming the voice of an Australian Shepherd named Flapjack.
Flapjack came into Dan’s life as a rescued dog looking for a home and became his constant companion, walking partner and, eventually, the inspiration for The Adventures of Flapjack. What began with the simple bond between a man and his dog grew into stories about belonging, courage, compassion, loss and the importance of treating others with kindness.
Dan’s own life experiences found their way into those stories—not as lessons delivered from a lectern, but as ideas explored through Flapjack’s curious, sometimes humorous and always heartfelt view of the world.
A Life of Service
Long before Flapjack began telling his stories, Dan’s own life had already taken him on some remarkable journeys.
Dan’s commitment to service began early. As a young man, he served in the U.S. Army with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions. The experience became one chapter in a life shaped by responsibility, compassion and a deep respect for others.
After returning home, Dan found a very different kind of service in California’s state parks. As a State Park Ranger, he worked amid the redwoods of Big Basin and along California’s Channel Coast. His career later included working as a K-9 handler with Danko, the black-faced German Shepherd who became far more than a working partner. Their bond—and the trust required between a handler and his dog—deepened Dan’s lifelong respect for animals and the extraordinary relationships people can share with them.
Dan eventually entered the legal profession, where he spent decades in public service as an attorney and ultimately retired as Associate Chief Counsel for the California Department of Social Services. He also served as a pro tem judge. Throughout those years, his work centered on people, responsibility and the ways our choices affect the lives of others.
Different uniforms. Different careers. Different chapters of one life—but a common thread ran through them all: service, compassion and a belief that how we treat others matters.
An Unexpected Muse
Dan never set out to become a children’s-book author. Then Flapjack came along.Their early-morning walks became a daily ritual—often beginning around five o’clock, regardless of rain, cold or whatever else the day had in store. Along the way, Dan began to see the world a little differently: through the eyes of a gentle, curious Australian Shepherd who seemed to have his own opinions about nearly everything.
One morning, a mallard duck landed unexpectedly in front of Dan and Flapjack. That simple encounter sparked an idea. What if Flapjack could tell his own stories? What might he have to say about finding a family, facing fears, showing courage—or saying goodbye?
From that question grew The Adventures of Flapjack. Through three books, Flapjack became Dan’s storyteller: sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, and always guided by the qualities that defined the real dog—gentleness, loyalty and an extraordinary capacity to connect with people.
For Dan, the stories became a way to explore some of life’s biggest experiences in language children could understand and adults could share with them. Belonging. Courage. Compassion. Loss. Love. And the understanding that kindness matters.